1 10 77 https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2829/crew_nwj_tiny.png 1caafa91b3798d602ba1181b67456ab2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Description An account of the resource Members of the Northern Woman Journal Collective, meeting together at the Northern Woman's Bookstore. https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2791/1986_Vol_10_No_1.pdf 71fa93a34824c27707b0905da7f1e1a3 PDF Text Text $1. 5 0 Northern Woman Journal ATYUST 1986 VOL.10.1. THUNDER. BAY, ONTARIO EN .HooLING SCANDAL DALE SPENDER PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Editorial Thunder Bay readers will by now be aware that the Northern Women's Centre, which receives a financial grant from the City of Thunder Bay, is being reviewed by City administration. For the benefit of our regional/ national/international readers the details of this situation is reported elsewhere in this paper, as we believe it is important for feminists everywhereto be aware of the escalating attack on women and women's services that we are all being increasingly subjected to. Last year it was HERizons, last month it was Halifax Women's Centre, this month it's Northern Women's Centre. Next month it could be ... your newspaper ... your women's centre ... your day care advocacy group ... your transition house ... you ... Be prepared. The local situation began when the Right to Life Association of Thunder Bay and Area appeared before City Council, ostensibly appealing the refusal of the City to provide Right to Life with a grant. What evolved, however, was an attack on Women's Centre by a Right to Life member who demanded that "twenty questions" be answered. It remains unclear whether this man spoke as an individual or a Right to Life representative, as the president of the Right to Life Association waffles between disassociating his group frdin the "twenty questions" and taking credit for the review. In any event the majority of Council succombed to the intimidation, and approNed a review, however, on debating the matter a second time, saner heads prevailed and the-"twenty questions" were withdrawn. Superficially, the issue at hand is perceived to be the "abortion question". It would be misleading to reduce the issue to this equation. Rather what we have been witnessing must be understood in it's full depth... that is ... an attack on women, on women's integrity and on women's human rights. What is being attacked is the existence of a Centre that serves women, the existence of a service that respects women, and that offers the resources, information and support from which women may be empowered to take control of their lives with dignity and self-respect. It is the empowerment of women to become self-determining, fully human people that is so threatening to our detractors. No, it is not the "abortion question". Right to Life activists (and presumably most members of City Council) are fully aware that it is the Thunder Bay Branch of the Canadian Abortion Rights Action League that is the political lobby that advocates repeal of Canadian abortion laws. Similarly, they know that the responsibility for providing education about the pro-choice position is undertaken by Childbirth by Choice, the educational arm of CARAL. Ascribing these activities to Women's Centre is mischievious and designed to obscure the real attack against the Centre. Those of us who might be tempted to be lulled by the modest reforms that the women's movement has made must reconsider. We must be alert to the full dimensions of the backlash. Gone are the days when the demands of feminists were dismissed with patronizing condescension. Feminists are now taken seriously... thus must be stopped by any means, and in every arena. So, it is not simply the "abortion" issue. The backlash erupts when we ask for quality day care for our children, when pay equity appears on the agenda, when we urge adequate pensions for older women. The backlash seeps in more subtly with the bureaucratic institutionalization of the transition house movement and the rape crisis centre movement. The backlash appears in proposed legislation that obscures the issue of pornography by confusing hate literature with sex. to stand up for their beliefs and/ or rights. I am what is referred to as a white Indian. My mother was white and my father was native. I grew up on a reserve but left it when I was 15. I am now 28 and back to where I was born. I know I walked around all weekend with a chip on my shoulder both towards whites and natives. I am not trying to apologize for my actions because that was where I was at, at that time. To All Women: I just wanted to write to express my feelings now that I have had a chance to analyse myself and what was said at the Conference. (Northern Ontario Women's Conference) This was the first conference I have ever attended and I can assure you it won't be the last. For I now do feel a sense of gratitude to the women's movement. I can now appreciate what they have done to help me get where I am, and for that, I do thank all those women who had the courage Ah, yes, woman is evil, and sl must be contained. Anti-woman material proliferates. It is instructive to read "pi life" material which devotes as mu( discussion to the "immorality" of homosexuality, or the evils of feminism, as it does to abortion. We aren't suggesting that you expend your time reading these diatribes. We do, however, recommend that you read immediately Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. But don't delude yourself into thinkin4 that Atwood is writing fiction. N.W.J. Future We are delighted by the generous response our subscribers have made to the Journal's appeal. Your donations have eliminated our financial crisis, have enabled us to apply for membership in the Canadian Periodical Publishers Assoc., and pay our debts. Thank you' to everyone who made donations. We cannot, however, be complacent .. with three more issues to be published, and ever rising production costs we encourage each of you to promote new subscriptions to keep our cash flow in a positive positio The -fall cus on the arts. Interviews with local artists and craftawomen are planned. Literary submissions are encouraged. Target date for receipt of copy is August 30th. For more information call Carolyn at 345-584 !;over photo by Carolyn Greenwood I know deep down inside my heart that I am an Indian but I am a very ignorant one. I very much would like to have the respect of my people but I know I will have to earn it, first. For, I myself have discriminated against them. I am a native, but I am also ignorant towards my own heritage. I am going to learn more on my own, and also with the help of the next conference planned to deal with all the different native issues. I wanted to thank all the women in the movement and my early,special thanks to the native women who I am sure will be working very hard to or ganize another conference to help us understand them better. Thank - you all for your support for now I do fe el we do stand a chance in getting r of some of the discrimination that i going on to-day. Thank - You Your friend and peer, A Newfie Indian. , A-MAZING "Within a culture possessed by the myth of feminine evil, the naming, describing, and theorizing about goc and evil has constituted a maze /haze of deception. The journey of women coming is breaking through this maze springing into free space, which is an a-mazing process" (Mary Daly 197f from A FEMINIST DICTIONARY PDF compression, NORTHERN WOMANOCR, page 2web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Women's Centre Under Attack Across the country status of women organizations are under attack. An orchestrated endeavour by Campaign Life, R.E.A.L. women, and local Right to Life groups are mounting campaigns to protest government funding of women's services. In fact, every organization that has received a grant from the Department of Secretary of State Womens' Program has been "targeted" for attack. This anti-woman lobby is persistent, and is focusing also on municipal governments and federated charitable appeals that provide funds for women's services. Thunder Bay is no exception. Thus, we find the Northern Women's Centre subjected to yet another "review" by city administration. What is to be reviewed remains unclear, however it is why this review was approved by (a majority of) Council that deserves our examination. But first, some background. Northern Women's Centre has, since 1980, annually-received financial assistance from the City of Thunder Bay. It is well known that the Right to Life Association of Thunder Bay and Area has long been antagonistic to Northern Women's Centre. Right to Life members lobbied Council to oppose Women's Centre funding. In 1983 WOmen's Centre representatives were asked (at a Council meeting) if the Centre was proabortion. Women's Centre advised that their position was prochoice. A Council member further asked if the Centre would forego their position if it affected City funding-. The answer was no. * In 1984 and again in 1985 the Right to Life Association requested a City grant of $20,000. Council recommended a grant of $1000. In 1985 Women's Centre's grant was reduced by close to $5000. Some members of Council advocated giving this $5000 to Right to Life, but this was not approved. Women's Centre simply lost the $5000. Confused debate within Council during the grants discussion saw an attempt by some aldermen to compare the activities of Right to Life and Northern Women's Centre. Northern Women's Centre, exhibiting admirable patience, repeatedly explained the comprehensive services they provide to women of Thunder Bay. Near the close of this meeting a motion was put forward recommending $5000 be taken from Northern Women's Centre and granted to Right to Life. The motion lost by a vote of 11-1. At a subsequent Council meeting another motion was attempted recommending a grant to Right to Life. The motion failed to get a seconder. The Right to Life Association appealed the decision. The City's defined procedure for appeals is for the appealant to appear before the Financial Assistance Review Group to lodge the appeal, and when required to provide further documentation and justification. The Financial Assistance Review Group reviews the appeal and makes further recommendations to Council who make the final decision. from NEWSMAGAZINE This release further explained that abortion counselling was not carried out by the Centre arid that no City funds were directed to any organization advocating reform of abortion legislation. As well, the Thunder Bay Branch of the Canadian Abortion Rights provide in orma ion a ou is mandate. (The purpose of CABAL is to ensure that no woman in Canada is denied access to safe, legal abortion. CARAL's aim is the repeal of all sections of the Criminal Code dealing with abortion, and the establishment of comprehensive contraceptive and abortion services, including appropriate counselling, across the country. CABAL regards the right to safe, legal abortion as a fundamental human right.) * 1986 requests for City financial assistance were dealt with at an Administrative Services Committee meeting in March. A grant of $20,000 to Northern Women's Centre was approved. A grant request of $3000 to Right to Life was denied. A grant request of $2600 to Childbirth by Choice (the educational arm of CABAL) was denied. After reviewing the Right to Life's appeal the Financial Assistance Review Group recommended to Council that the appeal be denied. This recommendation came before the City's Administrative Services Committee in May. Prior to this meeting heavy lobbying of some members of Council was carried out by Right to Life members. (Councillors Kennedy and Miller were not incluthat the lobby concentrated on opposition to Women's Centre rather than justification for Right to Life's grant request. Selected members of Council also were provided with an article written by John Carroll that appeared in a newssheet called the Interim. The article, said Karen Maki of the Northern Women's Centre calls Betty Kennedy "a wellknown abortion supporter" and Dusty Miller "well-known for her pro-abortion views". Rather than dealing with the administrative report of the appeal the Administrative Services Committee chose to dispense with their rules of procedure and permitted Carroll, as spokesman for the Right to Life, to address the Committee. The address, rather than defending the Right continued on p6 A release by Women!s Centre following this debate again clarified the Centre's position on reproductive choice, by stating "With regards to the issue in question, the Centre endorses the United Nations Human Rights Declaration of 1968, signed by Canada, whereby 'Every couple and every individual has the right to decide freely and responsibly whether or not to have children, as well as to determine their number and spacing, and to have information, education and means to do so". PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 �UPdate goo Joan Baril will no longer be writing the Update column for the Journal. In Joan's words " For several years now I have been writing the Update column. In fact I started the column. But as with anything that you do for a long time (love, marriage, paying rent etc.) the thrill slowly goes and the thing becomes a chore. So it is with Update. I loved phoning everyone up, 'networking' around town, meeting different people - all enjoyable. But the time has come to focus on something else. I will still be submitting other things for the Journal and I also want to do interviews from time to time." Elsewhere in this issue there are articles by Joan. N0 Daycare facility on Lakehead University Campus. In a recent comment from the Lakehead University Administration support for child care facilities on campus was practically withdrawn. The University pledged only $14,000 to the development of a childcare facility and suggested finding premises off campus or buying newer trailers (at a cost of $41,000). Homebase: A Forum For Mothers at Home is a newsletter issued by the non-profit group, Mothers are Women. The objectives of the newsletter are to " raise the consciousness of a society which tends to undervalue our contributionl and to bolster the self esteem of home based women who do not work for pay and should not feel pressured to consider themselves supermom's" Published 4 times a year, address Homebase,"12 Farm Gate Cres., Nepean, Ontario, K2E 7N7 sumer and medical representation, If you want more information or want to help lobby to make these hearings public ones contact the Women's Centre nearest you. In Thunder Bay call 345.7802.o.. Canadian Labour Congress says sexism rife on Parliament Hill. ie: a female support service employee was the object of sexual harassment. Her manager touched her, leaned against her and rubbed up against her. When she objected, she was given a heavier workload, and was later given a poor performance appraisal and transferred to another job. Workers rights- "Your Rights as a Worker in Ontario", a brochure which discusses; hiring practices, sexual harassment, terms and conditions of work, including minimum wage, hours, holidays, sick days, equal pay for equal work, pregnancy leave, conditions of firing, domestic workers rights, health and safety on the job and trade unions. Published by and available from the Ontario Women's Directorate, 4th floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario. M7A 1C2, phone: (416) 965-4801. As of June 1, the new Divorce iLaws went into effect, its aim is to make divorce cheaper and quicker. Under the new law, the only ground for a court approved divorce is marriage breakdown, which can be proved by a separation of one year, or by adultery or cruelty. Gone from the law are such grounds as three years separation and sodomy, bestiality and non-consumation of the marriage. If divorcing couples can negotiate terms successfully it could save them money as they wouldn't need to pay lawyers for expensive co- urt time. A San Francisco pregnancy testing service has been sued by a The Health PrOtection Brarth (HPB) of Health and Welfare Canada is planning Autumn meetings in part to assess opinion regarding approval and safety of Depo Provera. The meetings are to be by invitation only with a limited number of spaces per location. Meetings are planned for September with no definite dates set as yet. Six cities have been targeted: Hallfax,Montreal,Toronto,Winnipeg,Calgaty and Vancouver. The committee will report to Dr. Burt Liston, Assistant Deputy Minister with HPB. Karen Kennedy, a consultant with HPB, is both organizer and chairperson of this soon to exist committee. Kennedy appears to be leaning towards a medical committee, but has not yet finalized membership. She defines the committee's task as "being a messenger", hearing "what we think and what we feel." The committee also wants to hear from the public about fertility control methods in general. And they will produce an information pamphlet about contraception! Kennedy has asked the Canadian Coalition on Depo Provera to let her know who should speak across the country. She stresses that she wants the Coalition to be well represented However,if the Coalition assists her in screening who is to speak, credence will be given to the invitational pretext of the meetings. This is not the kind of process that the Canadian Coaltion on Depo Provera requested in December.(See last issue) The Coalition had asked for and is still asking for open public hearing into Depo Provera use and issues related to that use, full media access to these hearings, and that the committee have equal con- forced to view slides of aborted fetuses before being allowed access.to the results of her pregnancy test. Carla Abbot accuses a " Free Pregnancy Clinic" of engaging in unfair business practice and false advertising. She says she chose the clinic because of its promise of free pregnancy tests but claims after she was given a urine test, she was told it was mandatory that she watch a slide presentation on abortion before getting back the results. The slide show reportedly showed aborted fetuses and featured a narrated account of a woman's death during an abortion and a teenager's entered the building. An injunction was secured to bar these people from the premises. Once a week or so - there is still the odd picketer. C.B.C. funding is secured. Congratulations to the womei of Geraldton for hosting a tremendously successful conference May 30 and 31. Enthusiasm was high as nearly 20( women from the Geraldton area joined together for their first Women's Conference. Key note speaker Maude Bari( set the stage - skillfully addressim the spectrum of issues that affect women today. On Saturday a variety of workshops were held on pertinent topics( family law, health, networking, financial planning, lobbying, dual careers, computers.), all were well attended and thoroughly enjoyed. The Conference concluded with a fine presentation by the Nellie fMcClung theatre (of Winnipeg).who expertly use theatre to consciousness raise as well as entertain. The organization and hospitality of the Conference was superb - and appreciated by all. Look for many interesting long term results of the Conferencewe heard talk of on-going workshops and plans for a Geraldton Women's Centre! WHIN Conference! The first annual N.W.Ontario Women's Health Information Network's Health Conference, Healthy Herizons!!! October 3rd 4th, and 5th 1986 at Confederation College, Thunder Bay, Ontario. The theme will be Women and Reproductive Health, throughout our years! Some of the workshops which will be offered will be, menopause and aging, exploring life changes,reproductive heaitl 'hazards, Midwifery, then now, in the future, PMS: the social implications, Assertiveness: dealing with the medical system, Birthing options in N,W,0 07or ore nformation cal 345-1410, or write 8A N. Cumberland St. #17, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A ou es. FEMINIST CARTOONISTS! In order to establish a talent bank of feminist cartoonists across Canada, women who would like to be included are invited to submit their names, addresses, and a sample of their work to Susan De Rosa c/o Communiq'Elles, 3585 St. Urbain Street, Montreal, QC H2X 2N6. The bank will be accessible to feminist: magazines and associations across Canada. The Next Step., a series of 3 films produced by the National Film suicide following an abortion. Board in colaboration with the federal elm In the face of the growing Women's Film Program, examines the urbacklash against the right to free gent need for services to battered woabortion on demand. over 100 women's men. These 3 half-hour films along wigroups in Quebec have united to take th the users guide that accompanies the offensive under the label of the them contain suggestions for pre and Coalition quebecoise pour le droit a post screening discussions and ideas l'avortement libre et gratuit ( Quebec for action to implement and improve Coalition for free abortion on demand). service's in all types of communities: The new coalition is comprised of wom- urban, rural, northern and native. en's student and union caucuses, healso. Notable Women Records and th workers, shelter and youth groups. Tapes, a catalogue of Canadian women'E The coalition is responding to threats records, tapes, and music = related from a very vocal pro-life movement, books, has been released. Bertha says reduced provincial funding and the reof her catalogue "I believe in the turned Liberal government that brought revolutionary and spiritual power of Dr. Morgantaler to trial 3 times durmusic. The music offered here is disting their last administration. He was inctly varied in style, yet amazingly aquitted each time. similiar in so far as it speaks to us woe Calgary Birth Contrcl Associntimately, bringing the realities of iation. At this year's city funding our daily lives into focus with humor meeting their local " Campaign Life" and humility. By illuminating the truwas not given a chance to speak re: ths of our lives, music becomes an ef C.B.C.A.'s funding. One day, six memfective tool for revisioning, transfobers of campaign life sat in their rming and healing ourselves and our office for one full day. A banner was world." A copy of this catalogue can placed across the doorway to the buibe obtained from: Notable Women Recolding which houses many agencies. PeoContinued-on- page ple were verbally attacked as they PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 4 �N.O.W. Conference by KATHRYN FOURNIER Participants at the recent Northern Ontario Women's Conference in Sudbury have already decided to hold a future conference on Native women's issues and to establish a more effective network among Northern feminist groups. The projects reflect the dominant_themes of the highly successful Conference, held June 20-22, which brought together some 150 women from many of the smaller communities in. Northern Ontario as well as from the larger centres. With strong representation by both Native and Francophone women, as well as Anglophones, the Conference provided a forum for the discussion of concerns by all communities. While participants addressed a number of issues during workshops, panels and informal discussions, the struggle by native women and the problems they encounter in the larger women's movement became a conference theme at the opening keynote address when speaker Susan Hare described the discrimination and prejudice native women still encounter. Participants decided by an overwhelming majority to organize more actively around Native women's issues by holding the next NOW Conference on that theme on Manitoulin Island... a conference organized by Native women with input by non-native feminists. The need to establish greater links among women in the North also became clear as participants presented the work, going on in their own communities during the Regional Update session. Feminists are active in even the smallest and most isolated communities in Northern Ontario, but often do not know about other groups who may have experience or expertise to share. At a special meeting to discuss networking, women discussed the possibilities of using existing northern women's media to communicate, establishing a northern clearinghouse, creating a networking committee, preparing a northern women's directory or simply staying in touch. A number of women from various communities will continue to discuss these and other options. Conference organizer Jennifer Keck also announced that the National Action Committee on the Status of Women may hold its annual mid-year meeting in Sudbury later this year with the theme of Regional and Economic Development. The weekend began with an evening of participatory theatre on Friday. As women used themselves to create living group sculptures, a number of ideas and feelings about being Northern Ontario feminists emerged. The keynote speeches of Saturday morning, presented by OISE scholar Dorothy Smith and Susan Hare from the Homemaker's Club of West Bay Reserve, provided contrasting perspectives on the character of power and the strength of women. While Dorothy Smith outlined how women have traditionally been excluded from power and how our current strength comes from our organizing, Susan Hare discussed the particular problems of Native women, who are often considered to be the from HYSTERIA most disadvantaged in Canada. While Native women face very real obstacles in their struggle for empowerment, Susan Hare also pointed out that Native women have a respect for individual choice and a sense of relationship that can be useful tools. A number of workshops on Saturday were built around the practical themes of successful planning, effective speaking, and creative organizing, and most were presented in French and English. In addition several workshops addressed Native women's concerns. Anglophone, Native and Francophone women were all represented and their specific concerns were addressed at times. Although women from all groups expressed a need and a desire to build greater links, the conference indicated there are still a number of barriers between the communities, and between individual women, that remain to be addressed. It was clear that many women have political and cultural links to their own communities that are not always fully understood by others and many are involved in struggles involving larger problems not always identified as "women's issues". However the desire of participants to come to an increased understanding of those problems and to include them in a broader feminist perspective was clearly expressed. Creating an effective network and meeting again to discuss the specific concerns of Native women will help to realize the initiatives undertaken in Sudbury. WOMEN' STUDI S Courses in Women's Studies are offered by correspondence in both the Winter and Spring Sessions. Women in Modern Society The History of Women and the Women's Movement Women and the Arts Women and Religion For more information or for registration material, contact: Margaret Kechnie Women's Studies Programme Coordinator, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2C6 (705) 675-1151, ext. 380. V Laurentian University PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �D'EN'S CENTRE continued from p3 The amendment lost on a vote of 8-5. (Mayor Masters and Councillor Polhill joined Kennedy, Laakkonen and Miller in supporting the amendment. It is significant to note that Laakkonen and Polhill supported the amendment with thoughtful procedural arguments despite their previous opposition to funding of Women's to Life's grant request, took the form of an attack on Northern Women's Centre, describing the Centre as "pro-abortion" and "pro-lesbian". Carroll demanded an investigation of Women's Centre and presented 'twenty questions' to be answered. (The questions, many of which were repetitious, asked about Women's Centre's position on abortion, lesbianism, Catholicism and prositution. They also dealt with Women's Centre's personell policies, and with Board members affiliations.) The Administrative Services Committee passed a motion to establish an administrative review. The minutes of the Administrative Services Committee came before Council for approval on June 12. An amendment was moved by Councillor Betty Kennedy (seconded by Councillor Allan Laakkonen) to delete from the minutes the recommendation to review Northern Women's Centre. In speaking to her amendment Councillor Kennedy announced that she had instructed her lawyer to serve notice on John Carroll and the Right to Life Association of Thunder Bay and Area for defamation. Councillor Dusty Miller also announced that she too had instructed her lawyel to serve notice on Carroll and Right to Life. (Kennedy and Miller had by this time obtained copies of the Interim article.) The president of Right to Life, Claude Wyspianski, in a press interview after the meeting-4is7, associated himself from the art- Centre.) A further amendment to delete the 'twenty questions' from the review subsequently was passed. Discussion of this amendment demonstrated that the majority (but not all) Councillors were uncomfortable with questions that clearly contravened the Canadian Charter of Rights. For some the anticipated cost of required legal advice in respect to the questions may have been the deciding factor. So the "review" sans 20 questions goes Why was John Car Question 2: roll allowed to attack Northern Woi en's Centre? Why was he not ruled out of order when he digressed froi the subject under discussion .. ie whether the City should approve or deny Right to Life's appeal. Will Council meetings become the arena through which any individual can proselytize their particular dogma (or will this vendetta be confined to attacks on women's services?) Question 3: Was John Carroll speaking as a Right to Life representative or as an individual? The issue was Right to Life's appeal. Yet the president of Right to Life Claude Wyspianski, was quick to disassociate his organization from Carroll's 'twenty questions', and even quicker to disassociate Right to Life from the Interim article. At the same time, Wyspianski, on behalf of Right_to Life, took credit for Council's decision to revi( Women's Centre. ahead. What needs to be questioned is not Northern Women's Centre, which has a respected history of providing service to Thunder Bay women, but rather the intention of the City Council members who approved the review. Why were Council's Question 1: established procedures abandoned to permit a representative of Right to Life to address the Administrative Services Committee? This action negaes the entire Financial Assistance Review process. What precedent will this set? Will any group who disagrees with another rou 's program or philoSo0 City Council? . Clearly, the opposition to No] thern Women's Centre by Right to Life can be expected to continue. The essential question is whether City Council will continue to provide the forum for Women's Centre bashing. And if so, WHY? - - icle. FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH WOMANSPACE \fr POT LUCK 69 N. COURT STREET 345-7802 "Without exception, groups which consider themselves part of the Canadian Women's movement and define themselves as feminist, stand firmly committed to two principles; choice and equality. We believe that neither principle can exist independently of the other. The right to choose to marry or remain single, to become a parent or remain childless, to work inside or outside the paid labour force - is the cornerstone of the Canadian Women's movement upon which all demands for equality are based." (Chaviva Hosek) NORTHERN WOMAN page web 6 PDF compression, OCR, optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Pay Equity 5. If employers have to pay women more, fewer women will be hired. COMMON ARGUMENTS AGAINST EQUAL PAY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE LEGISLATION: A REBUTTAL REBUTTAL: Employers who have exploited women in the past by suggesting that they are lucky to be working under any circumstances have been quick to use this argument. Evidence from countries such as Australia, however, shows that women have not been adversely affected by equal value laws. by the Sudbury Women's Action Group 1. Women choose to work for less; the free market principle has determined the value of their jobs. REBUTTAL: It is naive to imagine that women ever entered the labour force under a "free market" principle. Their work was devalued from the beginning, and wages were set at a rate about two-thirds of men's -- remarkably like the ratio that still exists today. Moreover, because the range of jobs available to them was so limited, they exercised very little "choice" in the kind of work they did. Even today they continue to be channelled into only a few kinds of work by a variety of societal forces. This situation has resulted in a glut of labour in women's jobs, which continues to keep wages low. To create a truly "free" market we must open up other job areas to women. But we msut also ensure that the work they do now is fairly evaluated: this will ensure that new areas of women's work will not become "ghettoized" and devalued in the future. 2. Equal value legislation will result in undue government interference with wages. REBUTTAL: The government has not hesitated to interfere when it realizes that a principle of social justice is at stake; for example, in minimum wage legislation or the current equal pay law. Injustices sometimes require legislation as the only means of redress. Employers have had plenty of opportunity to voluntarily correct discriminatory wage scales, and they have not acted. 6. It will cost too much. 4. Job evaluations will be too difficult to develop. The task is too big and too complex. REBUTTAL: It is misleading and unfounded to assume that a comprehensive, province-wide evaluation scheme will have to be developed. When individual jobs within a company are compared, cases of discrimination quickly become obvious. In fact, even opponents of equal value legislation are ready to admit the injustices of many case by case examples. Using the four area evaluation system (that is already described in the Employment Standards Act for comparing similar jobs) will provide a fair and reasonable method for evaluating the worth of different jobs. Many employers already have such systems in place. The method has proven workable in enforcing Federal and Quebec equal value legislation. NOTE: Australia, New Zealand,and the European Economic Community all have equal value legislation. 45 of 50 U.S. states are studying or have implemented it in the public sector. REBUTTAL: Again, evidence from other countries suggests that the cost is not nearly as high as many employers fear. In particular, employers who enact they own programs and do not wait for complaints and costly courtordered settlements have found the costs to be manageable. (In Manitoba 1% of the total payroll was set aside for four years.) Furthermore, although in the short term there may be some expense, in the long term it must be remembered that increasing women's wages to a fair level will correspondingly increase their spending power and provide a boost to businesses. Underusing the talents of 42% of the work force is also costly. Low pay forces women into poverty. Money that is now spent to support single mothers who are unable to earn a living wage or to subsidize elderly women who have not earned enough to build up pension credits could be freed for other use if pay equity were achieved. 7. It will not close the wage gap, only narrow it. REBUTTAL: Although this is true, equal value legislation will address the most significant factor underlying the current wage gap and is essential if we are to begin to work toward fair wages for women. Other programs, notably affirmative action and increased public awareness, will be necessary to eliminate the gap altogether. Women: A Journal of Liberation 3. Equal value legislation will have a devasting impact on collective bargaining procedures. REBUTTAL: This does not need to be the case. Once those jobs which have been undervalued because of sex discrimination have been identified, they need only be compared to men's jobs to determine fair wage scales. From this point, bargaining can be as usual. Part of the process should be to identify inequities and negotiate increases in these before across the board percentage increases are negotiated. "Pro-active" models of legislation, such as that enacted in Manitoba, have made collective bargaining a central part of the legislated process. N.O.W. Conference Photo by JOAN BARIL PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 �DAY CARE NEWS By MARGARET PHILLIPS SPECIAL COMMIllEt HEARINrS With articulateness and passion Nol.thwestern Ontario day care parents workers, administrators and advocates presented their concerns about the future of day care to the parliamentary Special Committee on Child Care at hearings in Dryden and Thunder Bay in mid-May. The message was clear - and consisent - from Fort Frances to Geraldton, from Marathon to Red Lake - the municipal and nonprofit day care we have in Northwes-r tern Ontario is high quality care, is important to families from all income levels - and is in jeopardy ... unless senior levels of government make the commitment to develop a comprehensive child care system in Canada and provide the funding to ensure high quality care. The Committee heard as well from evolving new day care groups such as Lakehead University Day Care Committee and the Big Trout Lake Women's Group about their struggles to initiate necessary day care services. The need to recognize the value of child care work, and provide adequate wages and benefits for workers was also stressed. The Committee was also made aware of the particular problems Northwestern Ontario isolation creates... and the need for resources appropriate to individual community's needs to be readily available. The Special Committee has now completed its hearings and is expected to; complete its report by late fall. Meanwhile, the very excellent Child Care Report prepared by the Katie Cooke Task Force is being ignored. And millions of Canadian children continue to be denied quality COMUNIlY DAY CARE NEWS In the process of preparing for the Special Committee hearings the Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care, through a grant from the Ontario Women's Directorate, produced a series of video-tapes portraying the day care situation of diverse communities across the province. Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Committee participated in this project and with the enthusiasm of Marathon and Sioux Lookout day care people, the expertise of Monitor North, and Fiona's newly found editing skills, we have two very informative video-tapes, which describe the day care situation of an established centre (Sioux Lookout) and the newly developed day care'service (Marathon) You may be interested in viewing these videos - please contact N.W.O.R. D.C.C., Box 144, Thunder Bay, phone 345-7802 for more information. Best of luck to Big Trout Lake Women's Group as they continue to pla for day care in their community...we' all behind you. We're also happy to know that interest in a day care pare nts/advocates groups is evolving in Kenora. Thanks to the leadership of CO= unity Services Chairwoman Dusty Mille the City of Thunder Bay has appointec an Advisory Committee on Day Care wit representation of parent users of cer, tres and private home care, Thudder Bay Advocates for Quality Child Care and City administration. This is a ve positive development which we believe will have an important impact on the continued development of high quality municipal day care in Thunder Bay. PROvINCIPL HAPPEIHFS Ruth Wells ( Thunder Bay Advocat es) and Holly Rupert (Red Lake) atten ded the recent Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care meeting where plans were made to continue organizing acti vities and refine the Coalition's rec ommendations for provincial action. Although the provincial Treasure r's announcement about negotiating wi the federal government to develop day care as a public service is a positiv step, it must be recognized that such negotiation will be a slow process an will not be achieved in time to save our Northwestern Ontario centres whic are threatened with closure at the en of December. The province must aot-mol to stabilize and secure the funding for existing municipal centres and re lieve the anxiety and stress that fam ilies and day care workers are now day care. suffering. Midwifery Task Force of written submissions will also have an opportunity to make oral submissions to the Task Force at hearings to be held in various communities in Ontario in the fall. The Task Force's itinerary will be publicized through local news media. Submissions addressing the following matters will be particularly helpful to the Task Force: education and entry requirements for midwives scope and standards of practice locations and types of practice patient access relationship with other health professions personal experience with midw-t ife-assisted or physician-assisted deliveries It will also be helpful for persons or groups wishing to make oral sumissions at hearings to so advise the Task Force. The members of the Task Force are Mary Eberts, Chairperson; Alan Schwartz, Q.C., Vice-Chairperson; Rachel Edney, M.D.; and Karyn Kaufman, R.N., Submissions may be addressed ti and further information obtained fm Linda S. Bohnen Executive Director Task Force on the Implementat: of Midwifery in Ontario 14th Floor, 700 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z6 Tel. No.: (416) 965-5094 . . . RE:BIRTH, . . A Task Force has been appointed to study and make recommendations to the Government of Ontario on the impplementation of midwifery in the province. The Task Force was appointed by the Minister of Health and will make its recommendations both to him and to the Minister of Colleges and Universities. The mandate of the Task Force is to recommend a framework for establishing midwifery as a regulated profession and part of Ontario's health care system. The Task Force invites written submissions from all interested groups and members of the public. Presenters . CN.M. "Mother, what is a Feminist?" "A Feminist, my daughter, Is any woman now who cares To think about her own affairs As men don't think she oughter." - An. Dow Miller, MI NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �C.F.P.C. by C. Greenwood. I recently had the good fortune to attend the Canadian Feminist Periodicals Conference. This was the first conference of this nature that I have attended(sort of coming out as a feminist publisher) and the impact of being with so many women committed to feminist publishing was rejuvinating. I had a chance to put faces to names and publications and of course all those women together have a tremendous energy output! Serious issues were addressed; Race and Class, Lesbian Visibility and the politics involved in designing editing and publishing Feminist press. Our weekend began with a panel discussion, which introduced us to some of the women and issues, participating and addressed in the workshops. The workshops themselves were wideranging and my only complaint is that I couldn't attend them all. Donna Gollan(Broadside) gave an excellent workshop on fundraising, something dear to the Journals heart. We dealt with everything from government funding to advertising.Needless to say, we went over our allotted time(a theme common to most of the workshops). The Politics of Design workshop was hosted by a group of women from Pandora, who shared their considerable design sense with us. I also had an opportunity to speak with Moe Lyons, who was acting as a production skills resource person. Moe looked at our last issue, page by page and gave suggestions for improvement. If this so-gunds like an exercise in masochism - it wasn't. Moe gave many helpful tips and once again I wish there had been more time. The workshop on lesbian visibility went far overtime but it was time well spent. The workshop sensitized us to the isolation experienced by lesbians working in feminist publishing.We also examined perceived differences in lesbian and feminist politics, and we agreed to work towards the elimination of heterosexism. I suppose to summerize the weekend, I cam only say it made me aware of the tremendous network of feminist publication's across Canada. It gave me a feeling of unity with other publication's, from colour glossy to tabloids. We are all struggling with the same problems and gain strength by working together. The conference gave me a renewed sense of purpose( so much so, when I returned to my collective I was unbearable) and commitment. I'm looking forward to next year. Future Feminists Shivaun Daughtelt o4 Miniam Ketonen Kendra DaughteA oi Joan Wittiamz Photo'4 by CakoZyn Gteenwood SaiZZe Daughters o4 Teteza Legowzki Ju6tine Daughtet o6 Pam Dunk Out o6 the Ashes It'z a nice place In a tou/sy Zocati_on Af t. night the gultz 'ty The -)W n4 go back and 4onth back and Otth ACADL the yaAdZ,, A Hock away Someone wuz shot: My window haz a Zovety view 04 a 4oAmen. bawdy hou6e. I tteaLute the memory 04 good maimed ScatteAed anozz a tie o6 We 6unction in the woAZd o4 men tike second thoughts a good idea someone had to take up the 6tack. We'Ae patuted by hiz wizdom; it i eep/s PLUM event' pone and, i6 one evet 'shut's hiz mouth, anothen hotteu, "Move!" We'n.e the onus who Zook and Zaten, pouting Love and sympathy into ham without a bottom, into nothing ... endte44ty. GeAt Bead e. Quiet desperation: Many yeaAz 4Aom now How wiZt I temembet The guetz? Suzan Cott,(" vs WOMAN page 9 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISIONNORTHERN PDFCompressor �Family Law * Reformed Again Also such agreements should now be accompanied by financial statements fully disclosing the assets and liabilities (debts) of both people. Lastly, the sections allowing family members to sue for damages for loss of guidance, care and companionship and for recovery of expenses when a third person injures or kills a family member remain substantially unaltered. AREAS OF LAW WHICH WERE CHANGED by LYNN BEAK This is the first part of a two part series on the revisions to family law statutes that affect residents of Ontario. This part focuses on the new Family Law Act, and the second part will review the new Divorce Act and the support order enforcement acts enacted by the federal and provincial governments. Family law in Ontario has been reformed for the second time in seven years. Although many of the changes will be of benefit to women, the fact that the law has been revised again will make it more difficult for many women to understand the options that they have upon separation or the death of their spouse, It has become increasingly importbmt for women to seek legal-representation as soon as possible after family breakdown, and in some cases even before separation, since many new time limits have been included in the Family Law Act of 1986 (FLA). The FLA came in force March 1,1986 and its provisions have retroactive effect. Therefore the rules may have changed even for couples separated before March 1, 1986. AREAS OF LA!%! !IHICH REMAIN UNCHANGED There are several areas of law which remain unchanged. Firstly, the provisions for division of property and sharing property still do not apply to people living in common law relationships (not legally married). The only benefit a person in a common law relationship can apply for, after separation, is support payments, not a sharing of property. Secondly, the rules governing the granting of child custody orders remains unchanged. It is still "the best interests of the child" that will foLa the judge's decision. Thirdly, the rules governing the 50% division of the matrimonial home (between legally married couples only) remain fundamentally unchanged, although the rights of third parties (especially creditors) are clarified. Fourthly, both lvally married and common law couples can still prepare domestic contracts governing the main financial aspects of their situation, which will frequently override the FLA. However, marriage agreements, cohabitation agreements and separation agreements should now be prepared only when each person has independent legal representation. 1. FAMILY PROPERTY (MARRIED COUPLES ONLY) The most significant changes have occured in the area of division of family property for legally married couples. Now a spouse can apply for division of property not only on separation but also within six months after the death of their spouse. This means that the surviving spouse has to choose within six months whether she wishes to take what her spouse has left her under the will (or the rules of intestacy if there is no will) or to apply for division of family property. It will be necessary for the surviving spouse to see a lawyer soon after the death of her spouse to determine how she wants to procede. The other major change is in the definition of family assets; these now include virtually all assets acquired by either spouse during the marriage. This means that pension funds, family farms, businesses and private bank accounts are now included in the items to be divided as well as household belongings, vehicles, campers, etc. Exclusions are limited to assets owned by each spouse before the marriage (except the matrimonial home), gifts, inheritances insurance policy proceeds, damage awards and subsequent property traceable to one of these exclusions. The family property (minus debts and liabilities) owned by each spouse is then totalled and the spouse who has the higher value must compensate the spouse with the lower value so that the value of assets held by each will be equal. Some limited reasons are stated for allowing exclusions to the complete equalization of family property. 3. CHILD SUPPORT Minor changes were made to the child support sections. The parental obligation to support a child does not end at age 18 any longer, but continues while the child is enrolled full time in a school, college or university. If a person who is considered a parent because they have "demonstrated a settled intention to treat a child as a child of his or her family" is sued for child support, that person can bring the birth parent (or parents) into the application to have the child support distributed between all parties. 4. SPOUSAL SUPPORT (MARRIED COUPLE) A legally married spouse who wishes to sue for support for herself (not the children) must now commence the application within two years after separation, or else she will be required to obtain a judge's consent to allow her application to proceed. Furthermore, spousal support is being seen by the courts only as a backup to division of property and only for the purpose of helping the applying spouse to get back on his or her feet. The primary obligation for spouses is to support themselves, and therefore the courts have been giving support awards for shorter periods of time. Of course, if someone is disabled or otherwise entering or reunable to entering the workforce, the judge's have the choice to award spousal support for a longer period of time. SPOUSAL SUPPORT (COMMON LAW COUPLES) For couples in a common law relationship spousal support is the only benefit provided by the FLA. If two people have been living together for more than three years (reduced from 5 years), or if a child was born to the couple, then either spouse can apply for spousal support within two years of separation. 2. DIVISION OF ASSETS BEFORE SEPARATION An interesting provision, included for the first time, allows a legally married spouse to apply to the court for division of family property even though the spouses are still living together if the applying spouse can demonstrate that her husband will squander, waste or deplete the assets. This section may be useful for a woman married to a chronic gambler or alcoholic who wishes to preserve her share of the family assets but to remain with her husband. continued on p14 PDF compression, NORTHERN WOMAN OCR, "page 10web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Meeting a Lesbian by CAROLYN KOWCUN Reprinted from Arthur Canadian University Press Most straight women do not know how to react when they meet a lesbian. As a result, when a straight woman actually meets a lesbian face to face, the situation becomes a little embarrassing for all parties concerned. This column is full of sound advice and practical information on what to do on that fateful day you finally meet a lesbian. If you think you will never meet a lesbian, or believe that you presently don't know any, here are a few facts to consider. It is estimated that anywhere from one in twenty to one in six women are lesbians. Surely you know at least six women; you probably know at least twenty, maybe more. Statistically speaking, chances are you do know a lesbian whether you are aware of it or not. Now, if you wonder how you would react if a lesbian actually told 'you she was a lesbian, this article 'is for you. The following sixteen hints, carefully compiled by a team of experts (whose names escape me), should be studied carefully and memorized if possible. Perhaps it would be best to clip and save this article and carry it around in your purse. You never knoF when the following advice will come in handy. This is serious stuff. Are you ready? Here we go. When you meet a lesbian - Hints for the Heterosexual Woman: 1. Do not run screaming from the room. This is rude. 2. If you must back away, do so slowly and with discretion. Do not grimace at all costs. 3. Do not assume that she is attracted to you. 4. Do not assume that she is not attracted to you. 5. Do not assume that you are not attracted to her. 6. Do not expect her to be as excited about meeting a heterosexual as you may be about meeting a lesbian. 7. Do not immediately start talking about your boyfriend and/or husband in order to make it clear that you are straight. She probably already knows. 8. Do not tell her that it is sexist to prefer women, that people are people, and that she should be able to love everybody. Do not tell her that men are as oppressed by sexism as women, and that women should help men fight their oppression. These are common fallacies and should be understood as such. 9. Do not invite her someplace where there are men unless you tell her in advance. Feminist Bo 10. Do not ask her how she got this way. Instead, ask yourself how you got that way. 11. Do not assume that she is dying to talk about being a lesbian. 12. Do not expect her to refrain from talking about beingWOMAN'S a lesbian. NORTHERN BOOKSTOR 13. Do not trivialize her exper69 N. COURT ST. ience by assumingTHUNDER it is aBAY, bedroom P7A 4T7 issue only. She is a lesbian 24 344-7979 hours a day. 14. Do not assume that because she is a lesbian she wants to be treated like a man. 15. Do not assume that her heart will leap out for you if you touch her arm (condescending? flirtatiously? powertestingly?) it may make her anotdet yowl copy now o gry. & 16. If you are tempted to tell THE the FEMINIST DICTIONARY her she's taking easy way out, think about it. Now, that wasn't so difficult was it? Perhaps the next time you see a pink triangle, you won't faint from fear of the unknown. If you do faint, though, you should read this article again ask yourself 11:30 6 Fri what open andThwo. you are afraid of.Satanday 11:30 Oh yes, I almost forgot about helpful hint no. 17. Do not stop breathing. Lesbianism is not contagious, nor is it caused by a virus. ; PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �INTERVIEW with RUTH CUNNINGHAM by JOAN BARIL After twelve years in women's programs at Confederation College, Ruth Cunningham is retiring. At her retirement dinner on June 5, Ruth received tributes from several women who had worked with her in nursing and education. She received scrolls from the City of Thunder Bay, presented by Mayor Jack Masters, the Province of Ontario presented by MLA Mickey Hennessy and from the Government of Canada presented by a representative for Lain Angus MP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan. Here she speaks with Joan Baril. Joan: At the dinner many people said they couldn't believe that you would really retire. I can't imagine you without some sort of commitment. It seems to me your life has been one of commitment. Ruth: I was ten years old when I sat behind the ranch house and said to myself 'There must be something better than doing dishes and cleaning. There has got to be something better. Joan: Did you get that idea from a book? Ruth: Oh no. I didn't have any hooks. We lived on a ranch in Saskatchewan. The only book I had until I was twelve was a Happy Gang book. I was an intellectually deprived child. But I did have time to do lots of thinking. I decided at ten not to get married. When I did, I practically made my future husband write in blood going to have a career of my own. I was not domestic and I didn't have any intention of working inside the home all the time. But I did want children. Joan: Did your mother influence you? Ruth. I'll never forget it. My mother said, "Do your own thinking, Ruth". Joan: Has this been your philosophy? Ruth: I believe that adults should be free to make the decisions which affect their lives, be willing to take the responsibility for those decisions and have the opportunity to carry them out. Joan: You've been at the College for twelve years in Women's Programs. Can you talk a bit about this? Ruth: A Community College has a mandate. It is to meet the needs of people in the community. A college has to address itself as best it can to do this. My mandate was to women. Within my twelve years I have implemented programs into every division. I think there's been a woman's revolution from day one. But it's never really been won and it's a continuing struggle. Joan: Do you see a role for women's studies? Ruth: There certainly is a role for women's studies. If I didn't think that I wouldn't have been here for twelve years. That role is now enlarging rather than decreasing because many people see that they need women's studies in order to find themselves and learn something about their history. Joan: At one college, the president refuses to allow women's studies. He claims it is discriminatory. Ruth: Men are not forbidden to attend any of our programs such as Assertiveness Training, Women in History, or Women, Society and Change. So we are not discriminatory. Joan: This college believes it is the content of the courses which are discriminatory since they focus on women's experience. Ruth: They are no more discriminatory than to focus on the study of Natives or any ethnic minority. That president is wrong. I have in my office documentation to show that special programs are covered under the affirmative action code of Ontario and the Canadian Human Rights code and consequently we are able to do special programs for women. I have passed this information on to the different divisions, I'm having a hard time selling it and I think it's important that they have it in writinv I also have articles on this. I spoke on special programs for women to the Association of Community Colleges(note: this association is for college presidents,management,and boards of governors). I was the speaker last year concerning special programs versus integrated programs. They were amazed when I told them we had a General Arts and Science program emph- Educational institution's have a history of sexism. They have a nistory of reacting rather tnan leading, Joan: But you were a pioneer. Ruth: Well, educational institutions have a history of sexism. They have a history of reacting rather than leading. They therefore change only when pressure groups force them to re-evaluate their modus operandi. I could write a book! But since I've been here it has evolved from a period of outright hostility to tolerance and acceptance and finally some recognition that women are here to stay and that they have been disadvantaged in education and unemployment. asizing women's curriculum. Women over the years have worked hard to legitimize women's programs. Joan: What about the future? Ruth: There has to be a plan for maintaining. I already foresee erosion. The government has decided to "privitize education" without adequate monitoring. It's an open opportunity for women to be exploited, for a company to make money instead of the issues being addressed. I'm very glad I'm leaving at this time. I feel I've done a good piece of work but I think if I were to stay I would see it erode and disappear. And no one wants to see the work they have done disappear. Especially when there has been personal cost. Don't paint me as a victim. I'm not that. But I really do think we are at the crossroads. Joan: When .I talk to my students they tell me that everything is so much better for women now that there are few changes to be expected in the future. Ruth: Society never stagnates. You either go foreward or you go back. Of course, there have been gains. We have the Charter, But we had to fight for the equality clause. We do have affirmative action in the Ontario Human Rights Code but hardly anybody knows it is there, Joan: What's next? Ruth: Fighting ion: Vellt%Ifd-'tiot- underestimate the opposition. Joan: Why is that do you think? Ruth: Women have been socialized to nurture. That has been their greatest contribution. They are very uncomfortable working for change. It's threatening to their husbands. It's threatening to their families. This leaves women's organizations very vulnerable. The family is resistant. We've had indicatrUms of this in our work with women over the years, Women tend to put the family before themselves and they come out at the bottom of the heap many times. Joan: We end up paying for our virtues. Ruth: Yes. Of course many women have heavy family responsibilities. They have so much to do. Many women are working very hard. They don't have much energy sometimes even to read the local paper. As for some of our students, many of them have so little income. They have to sacrifice a lot for their children. There's no day care here. It's only for those who can afford it, not for those who can't afford it. So with the kind of socialization and burdens placel on women it's going to take a great revolution for many to move from that position, Joan: Is that revolution happening? Ruth: I think there's been a women's revolution from day one. But it's never really been won and it's a continuing struggle, a never ending struggle. PDF NORTHERN compression, OCR, WOMAN page 12 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Imo UPDATE moo continued rds and Tapes, Box 3294, Stn D, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5J8.000 goo CALL FOR NOMINATIONS .e. The annual meeting of the N.W.O. Decade council is fast approaching, to be exact, 18 and 19 of October, 1986. At this meeting we will be hold ing the election for the executive. Anyone who is interested or requires further information, please contact either Margaret Lanchok at 807-345-63 45 or Pat Wilson at 807-939-2803, or write Box 1091, Stn F, Thunder Bay, Ontario,P7C 4X9. The positions to be filled are: President, 2 Vice-Presidents, Secretary ooLaurentian University offers an impressive Women's Studies program. Of particular value to regional women, is the Correspondence Courses program. Courses include: Women in Modern Society, Women and the Arts, A History of Women and the Women's Movement: Renaissance to the Present. For more information contact - Women's Studies Program, Thornloe College, Laurentian and Treasurer. igloo University, Sudbury, Ontario.*** goo Received from Ian Scott, Minse Women's Art - Womanspirit ister Responsible for Women's Issues: Art Resource Centre of London, Ontario " I am very pleased to announce the regrets that it must close its doors appointment of Dr. Elaine Todres as to the public due to lack of voluntethe new Assistant Deputy Minister of ers. The main body of the centre's the Ontario Women's Directorate. As research materials - the slide registformer Director of the Policy and Rery of women artists, their collection search Branch, Dr. Todres has contribof books, periodicals and magazines, uted a great deal to the work of the and other research and reference matOWDO She has helped map a course for erials will be moved to Weldon Library tLe OWD, and for this Government, what the University of Western Ontario, ich has put Ontario in the forefront and will be available to the public.... of policy-making on women's issues. I look forward to working with Dr. Todres and I'm sure she can count on your continued supporto"ooe ooe All our good wishes to Liz Poulin, president of Decade Council for a speedy return to health and her usual dynamic energy.oso LE FESTIVAL DES. FEMMES CANADIENNES 3D-161 STAFFORD STREET WINNIPEG, MANITOBA R3M 2W9 (204) 477-5478 PRO-LIFE (?) TACTICS The "pro-life" crusade occurs on many fronts ... from trained subtle harassment of abortion clinic patients (called sidewalk counsel*goo Contrary to rumor there will ling), 1i to planned violence, to verbe a Canadian Women's Festival this bal and written attacks on anyone year. The 3rd Annual Canadian Women's who does not share their anti-aborMusic and Cultural Festival will be tion views. held September 5 & 6, 1986 at the CeIn 1985, 27 (U.S.) health clintre Culturel Franco-Manitobain. As nics offering birth control and aboryet we do not have a final schedule. tion services were attacked by bombBut be assured that performers are be- ings or deliberate fires. These asing contacted, women artisians are be- saults, which have numbered 50 in the ing sought, and visual artists are be-past two years, are becoming increaing eyed. singly life-threatening to the women Like many women's organisations working in the clinics. In December, the Festival is experiencing a severe a bomb exploded during office hours lack of dollars. Last years event le- at Manhattan Women's Medical Centre, ft the organisation with a substantial the same month, the Feminist Women's debt. This, coupled with an intransig- Health Centre in Portland, Ore. reent anti-culture federal government ceived a letter bomb. No one was infunding policy leaves us in dire st- jured in either attack but according raits. Consequently 1986 has seen a to Nanette Falkenberg of the National flurry of fundraising activity, a co- Abortion Rights Action League, "This mmitment to not incurring another de- is really the first time that it's bt, and occasional flirting with the clear the intent is to kill people." fine edge of panic. We are in the mi- (Kinesis, April 86) dst of a membership drive and are weCanadians are not immune to lcoming women with $5.00 or more into "pro-life" violence. In 1983 the our fold. Toronto Women's Bookstore was set on This years festival is going to fire by an arsonist. The Morgenthaler be quite different to previous ones. Clinic was located on the second floWe will be having a more extensive or of the building in which the Bookvisual arts program including film store was situated. and video showings and workshops. It Recently staff members of the will be a smaller, more intimate aff- ,Morgenthaler Clinic have been subair, held indoors on a Friday night, jected to increased harassment as Saturday and Saturday night. In this "pro- life" demonstrators have picketspirit we are making every effort to ed the staff's personal residences and distributed leaflets to their arrange billets for our out-of-town neighbours urging the neighbours to friends. Your involvement at previous fe- persuade the staff not to work in stivals has been greatly appreciated abortion clinics. The Morgenthaler and Scott Cliand we thank you in advance for your participation in this year's festival.nics are not the only targets. On Looking forward to a nice time in Se- May 14, protests were held outside ptember and we are hoping you can at- Canadian hospitals (including Thunder Bay hospitals) that provide tend. Until then we remain, therpeutic abortions. In Solidarity, 'Pro-life Abortion Services" (the The Canadian Women's Festival. contradiction is deliberate) are also being using established in many cities. FOr PDF compression, OCR, web optimization a watermarked evaluation an excellent discussion of these ser! , copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �QUOTABLE NOTABLE QUOTES ANSWERS TO LAST ISSUE'S CROSSWORD a matching quiz by JOAN BARIL 110 11110111N111111Z11 El ROI PI, 1/11t1011 ,,11 1. When one is pretending, the entire body revolts 11411111M .1011 g ILIE11114 A 111111_ '60 A. Germaine Greer 2. It is better to die on your feet than live on your . 5 FM .111'4111111M 'Is, knees. It1011111311\-.',7,-,13911110 B. Gloria Steinham 3. The liberation of language is rooted in the liberation of ourselves. C. Margaret Trudeau 4. In search of my mother's garden I found my own. D. Simone de Beauvoir 5. Marriage is a great institution but I'm not ready for an institution yet. E. Mary Daly ri II .11 111,',-.11 n 111111111111116101111 111111 111111,11'.111_imin!;!,) G. Delores Ibarruri F. Anais Nin 7. Women have very little idea of how much men hate them. 6. I can't be a rose in any man's lapel. H. Alice Walker 8. A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle. I. Lily Tomlin 9. Woman is not a completed reality but rather a becoming. J. Phyllis Diller 10. There will be sex after death - we just won't be able to feel it. K. Mae West 11. My only concern was to get home after a hard day's L. Rosa Parks work,, 12. Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight. 'fZI IOT !G6 !q8 !VL !09 !MS =H.17' !H tOZ FAMILY LAW ,,_,T,_,,, (z111P5 and 011.---LIN6 R5 c6R. WOM.,N continued from p10 in itle, ;------0 The same considerations as discussed in the previous section on amount and duration of the support award apply here except that the concept of "family property" does not apply to common law couples. However, if a woman has contributed to the acquiring of an asset registered in a man's name (or vis versa) then she should speak to a lawyer since other laws may assist her to recover her investment. Voriplace,, at .5OCLCIJ , On the- S'Mer and In tAe, bbarefroorn. .evld 146 9e9tAr favourite quip6,..bak citionuirric9L,th and cralitaHt. d-Lorouirou lighthearted or yeriouh and yharp ; we' I print Ci I/ thctA fib To frirtt I 04 CtMPIVATIONC)F.R6ATCOM6MCK5fbR_,41,-OCCA516111. 139 _portion of -tci CONCLUSION WeAerbe- 64del-16)461-Its 13dIered proce,e,c1U vrne,v1).. Cbolitibn of L'7helicr send to This has been a brief summary of some changes to the family law in Ontario. As a result of these changes many people may wish to see a lawyer in order to revise their will or assess their situation. Since this information has been very genetal,-IT.MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON, OTHER LEGISLATION MAY VARY THE SITUATION. If you wish to obtain legal advice, you should see a private lawyer, contact the lawyer referral service (Zenith 58600) where you will be given the name of a lawyer who will provide you with a half hour interview at a low cost, or contact your local legal clinic. C,Vertr5 RETORTS Box #167 253 College St. TORONTO, M5T 11-6 S U A P P M E Y I a a - NORTHERN 140MAIV:paged4 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �WOMAN WORDS Intrigued by the book covers on our cover? Here's a bit more about them to whet you appetite. A FEMINIST DICTIONARY by Cheris Kramaral and Paula A. Treichler is a different kind of dictionary. Indispensible to every woman who has felt put down or made invisible by male-defined language. The authors state their purpose in compiling the dictionary was "to document words, definitions, and conceptualizations that illustrate women's linguistic contributions, to illuminate forms of expression through which women have sought to describe, reflect upon, and theorize about women, language and the world; to identify issues of language theory, research, usage and institutionalized practice that bear on the relationship between women and language, to demonstrate ways in which women are seizing the language; to broaden knowledge of the feminist lexicon; and to stimulate research on women and language." Doubtless, many readers will be stimulated to expand their own study and reading from introductions to new thinking, new writers, that the dictionary provides. A FEMINIST DICTIONARY will be a great present to yourself. In the expanding body of literature exploring violence against women, it is encouraging to note the growing contribution of Canadian publications. NO'SAFE PLACE:Violence Against Women and Children, edited by Connie Guberman and,Margie Wolfe is a timely anthology that links the issues of wife aa'ault, child battery, rape, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment and pornography. The articles included in this volume not only examine the data documenting the extent of violence in our society, but also analyses the institutional response to the demands of feminist for action on these issues. That political response has been evidenced in the past few years (particularly in respect to rape and wife battering) poses a distinct dilemma for feminists who increasingly witness the "institutionalization" of these women's issues. While governments have become receptive to funding crisis services "...the state has done nothing which really changes the social order that produces violence in the first place ... Until society focuses on the real causes, we cannot hope to eliminate the problem". The demands of providing services for victims of violence too often overrides the need for continual analysis of society violence. NO SAFE PLACE is a valuable contribution to encourage our continuing feminist analysis and an increasing awareness of the need for qualitative societal change. Another new Canadian publication is Pat Armstrong's LABOUR PAINS: Women's Work in Crisis which "... presents a stunning analysis of current (economic) patterns, exploring for the first time the effects of the crisis on women's and men's work both in the labour force and in the household.... Armstrong explains why women's employment will deteriorate both absolutely and in relation to men ... warning.. that unless they get together and do something about it, the working women of Canada will emerge from this crisis in a more uncertain position than before." Anyone interested in girls and women's education will want to study Dale Spender's INVISIBLE WOMEN: The Schooling Scandal. The heart of women's oppression is their silencing. Spender, a communications expert, analyzes how the educational "system" has been set up by men as an adjunct of another system - the patriarchial system. She describes and quotes studies which show what actually happens in the classroom - the negation, trivialization and silencing of girls, teaching them to be invisible. A 1986 Women's Press fiction publication is SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS by Donna E. Smyth. Described as "an intriguing melange of voices that entice us to explore two seemingly unrelated strands - a highly romantic and unlikely love story and a timely account of the controversy surrounding uranium mining in Nova Scotia. Textually and thematically subversive, these two narratives resonate off each other creating a story that is both innovative and moving". Winnipeg writer Carol Shields recently released collection VARIOUS MIRACLES will be a welcome addtion to the bookshelves of all short story enthusiasts. Other fiction titles we suggest for your summer reading include: FABLES OF BRUNSWICK AVE. by Katherine Govier; SPARE PARTS by Gail Scott; INLAND PASSAGE by Jane Rule; TENDER WARRIORS by Rachel Guido de Vries; SOMETHING OUT THERE by Nadine Gordimer; and Doris Lessing's DIARIES OF JANE SOMERS. Judith Petch, a faithful NWJ reader responds to our call last issue and sends her suggestions with her comments. They are MANY TENDER TIES: Women in Fur-Trade Society, 1670-1870, by Sylvia Van Kirk - The economic and domestic survival skills of women, particularly native women, played a crucial role in the development of the North American fur trade, especially during its early days. A POISON STRONGER THAN LOVE, by Anastasia Shkilnyk - A whole community, individually and collectively shows signs of emotional (and mental?) illness when hit by successive waves of economic and social dislocation and an environmental disaster. A lot of testimony about the resultant problems is given from women's perspective. 136 Good-bye Simone by JOAN BARIL The first book I read by Simone de Beauvoir, Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, bored me. The life of a bougeois French girl was foreign to me, seemingly unconnected with my own. As for The Second Sex, it seemed to go on forever, full of rich images, yes, but I couldn't grasp the meaning. The concept of woman as "other", a person without "projects" (projects?), the references to philosophy and French literature, the long descriptions of women's lives so different from my own left me disoriented as if I had found myself in a wood with a hundred paths and no clear direction. It was all too French, too foreign, intellectually over my head. It took several years, but slowly all the paths merged into a pattern. There was no sudden "click". I just grew enough to understand de Beauvoir. I believe I read everything she wrote. Some of it was unforgettable. She wrote about her love life, her mother's death, movingly about her own encroaching old age. In future years I think she will be remembered as an historian because her series of memoirs are as much an historical account as they are a personal. When she wrote The Second Sex, she was way ahead of her time and roundly criticized by her friends. Virginia Woolf had the same experience with Three Guineas). Later in the seventies she was criticized by feminists. Because the book was written in 1949 it was freighted with assumptions of the period which even a mind as adept as de Beauvoir's could not uncover. She accepted many of the criticisms as just. She was never afraid to change her views. She revised her ideas on women as many articles and interviews show. It was amusing at her death to hear the same old critiques trotted out as if what she wrote in 1949 was exactly what she believed in 1986. De Beauvoir combined an active political life with a theoretical one - a life of praxis. She was in the forefront of political activity in France and the forefront of the women's movement everywhere. She died this spring, 1986. Good-bye, Simone. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION'NORTHERN PDFCompressor WOMAN page 15 �PROGRAMS The Confederation College of Applied Arts & Technology REGISTRAT1CN INFORMATION: For ALL subjects begins August 5th (5-7:30pm) and commencing on August 6th from 9am-7:30pm every weekday except Fridays from 9am-4pm in the Registrar's Office. MALL Registration from August 18th to 23rd, 9:30am to closing at Intercity Shopping Centre. to obtain a registration form contact Community Programs (807) 475-6116. Deadline MAIL -IN: is September 2nd; no postdated cheques accepted, VISA is accepted. Thunder Bay District EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS FAIL ' 86 "NEW**Business Division-EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM (Post-Basic) one semester-September to This one-year certificate program is divided into two parts: December-in the college; second semester-January to April-in a field placement environment. Field placements and job opportunities will not necessarily be in the Thunder Bay region. Subjects in the E.O.M. Program may be taken during the day or as offered during the evening through Community Programs. For further information contact the Associate Registrar (807) 475-6365. GENERAL ARTS AND SCIENCE DIPLOMA PROGRAM emphasizing Women's Programs Curricula may be taken full-time during the day or part-time (evenings) through Community Programs. For further information contact the G.A.S. Program Co-ordinator (807) 475-6390. GS 010 (99) PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING RR *KR) This subject will give women practical instruction in personal economics, the art of handling money and managing one's financial affairs. Topics covered include budgeting, banking and investing, credit, housing, insurance and car ownership, together with other topics in which the students may express an interest. This subject is targeted for women only. Tuesdays 7:00-10:00pm DATE/TIME September 9, 1986 START DATE: December 16, 1986 COMPLETION: INSTRUCTOR: Lauretta Johnson 267, Shuniah Bldg ROOM: $56.25 FEE: : CAREER PLANNING FOR WOMEN is an 8-week program to assist women entering or re-entering the labour force to understand present employment conditions, to select realistic career goals and to enter appropriate employment or begin suitable training. Program commencement dates: October 13, 1986 to December 5, 1986 January 19, 1986 to March 13, 1987 WOMEN INTO TRADES & TECHNOLOGY (W.I.T.T.) is an 18-week program designed to expose women to all aspects of practical trades training and the world of Hi-Tech. Program commencement dates: September 15, 1986 to January 16, 1987 February 2, 1987 to June 5, 1987 For further information on CAREER PLANNING FOR WOMEN or W.I.T.T., contact the Chair Industrial & Motive Power (807) 475-6215, or Women's Employment Centre (807) 623-2731. GS 143 (99) WOMEN & STRESS MANAGEIWT This subject is intended to examine situational stresses in our lives,-family, job, social relationships, conflict, change, developmental crises, etc., as well as potential sources of stress you bring to every situation because of your personality, belief system, life rhythms and style of problem-solving. A lifestyle and attitude approach to changing your stress response will be developed by each individual. DATE/TIME START DATE: COMPLETION: INSTRUCTOR: FEE: $37.50 : BASIC TRAINING IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (B.T.S.D.) Academic Upgrading Grades 8-12; English as a Second Language. For further information contact the Chair Secretarial P. Hospitality Programs (807) 475-6318, or your local Canada Employment P. Immigration office, or the Women's Employment Centre, 130 S. Syndicate Avenue, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 1C7 (807) 623-2731. YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME ... CALL THE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AT (807) 475-6189. Northwestern Ontario Residents may call Toll Free: 1 Mondays 7:00-10:00pm' September 8, 1986 November 17, 1986 Shirley Stevens 265, Shuniah Bldg ROOM: GS 026 (99) ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING (FOR NbMEN) This subject will provide women with the skills necessary to negotiate honestly for the things she wants--on the job, at home, in the community. Assertion is not to be confused with aggression. Assertion takes into account the rights and feelings of others. This subject is targeted for women only. Thursdays 7:00-10:00pm DATE/TIME September 11, 1986 START DATE: COMPLETION: November 13, 1986 Shirley Stevens INSTRUCTOR: ROOM: 267, Shuniah Bldg FEE: $37.50 : WT 843 MOTOR VEHICLE OtmEN Khow YOUR CAR) In this elective post-secondary credit subject, women will learn the basic procedures of car maintenance and general operation. Section 99 DATE/TIME START DATE: COMPLETION: Mondays 7:00-10:00pm September 15, 1986 October 27, 1986 Section 98 DATE/TIME START DATE: COMPLETION: Wednesdays 7:00-10:00pm September 17, 1986 October 22, 1986 : : Dave Wirta INSTRUCTOR: 149, Auto Shop, Dorion Bldg ROOM: FEE: $22.50 ZW 027 (99) BECOMING MYSELF: BODY IMAGE If you learn to accept your body, you will Do you consider your body your friend or enemy? gain self-esteem and confidence. To help you do this, we will be listening to our bodies, examining cultural influences, body image, eating patterns and taking control/changes. We will use a variety of methods including relaxation techniques, colour, imagery, simple movement, group sharing as well as private writing time. INSTRUCTOR: Eleanor Albanese FEE: $37.00 Tuesdays 7:00-10:00pm DATE/TIME: 342, Shuniah Bldg ROOM: COMPLETION: October 28, 1986 START DATE: September 16, 1986 - 800 - 465 - 6961 3 -1 2, 0rD (76 tv rD 0- a. so O m3 n Ru 3 0 re, es> CL o n' 3 o m 02 ° 0 0 a m- -0 0. 4 C n 0fp .. n ro f m- e ro o et 0. Cr ..-- 9, -n f... = 7.7 2)- 0 = cs' 5' '' =co < M vii 5. a0- , ..7-. 2a) DJ .". Ln 3 ,..<:,_ z- -h -, ..,. -a 0 "" ... M , CL 3 a c." 30 0- r° =,) 3 0 -3 -0 * O .7.- ess, m t4n LI, 0 n (1) rD (t) 0 1:6 C -0 1,??. -6 0 c 5. o n < rD g =- a_ o F,1 5 3 a.° 0- et, oci z z -% 0- O.) 13., 2) , CICil M -, .. ti) C vim, O )-)- (-) 3 ci, 0 o, 3 CT n o 1., co 0_ sl, < _ (0 3 0 < > -, z fo -.. rn (,) ,;.' rD B. -0 M ao 0n CD = C -o -r, 0M 0 a_ n zp.. -0 0 -) n v., fD O B CD <. :7 0- 73* 330' coo ?'al.,o3 v) w tro ''v. 2 .54 6 es, !tr.:. . Q CIO PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Second Class Mail Registration No. 5697 RETURN 19: THE NORTHERN WCHAN 69 N. COURT ST. THUNIER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4T7 Return.Postage Guaranteed Don't forget to renew your' subscription! Here's my sub: Name Address (postal cede) o Individual 0 .5 institutional $ 10 ***********************0:************ IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOU4LABEL?? p2 Editorial/Your Voice p3 Women's Centre Under Attack p4 Update p5 Northern Ontario Women's Conf. p7 Pay Equity p8 Day Care/Midwifery Task Force p9 Feminist Periodicals Conf. p9 Future Feminists p10 Family Law Reformed Again pll Meeting a Lesbian p12 Interview with Ruth Cunningham p14 Quotable Notable Quotes p15 Woman Words WORKERS THIS ISSUE: Elaine Goodwin, Carolyn Greenwood, Mary-Ann Kleynendorst, Anna McColl, Margaret Phillips, Rosemary Pittis. PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION **********4g************************** Northern Woman Journal 69 N. Court St., Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4T7 (FOUR ISSUES) $5.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 1 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No, 1 (August 1986) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Journal funding Protests against women’s centres & women’s services R.E.A.L Women Forum for mothers at home Depo Provera Sexism in politics Worker’s rights Divorce law Abortion access Calgary Birth Control Association Women’s conference, Geraldton Northwestern Ontario Women’s Health Information Network Conference Northern Ontario Women’s Conference, Sudbury Native women’s struggles Pay equity Daycare news Midwifery Task Force Canadian Feminist Periodicals Conference Family law reform Family property law Child support Spousal support Lesbian experience Candian women writers Ruth Cunningham interview Women & educational institutions Pro-life movements Confederation College programs for women The Next Step, film on battered women Authors/Contributors: Kathryn Fournier Sudbury Women’s Action Group Margaret Phillips Carolyn Greenwood Lynn Beak Carolyn Kowcun Joan Baril Elaine Goodwin Mary-Anne Kleynendorst Anna McColl Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1986-08 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2792/1986_Vol_10_No_2.pdf 795fb2fd2fc4897d71088805c9bd3788 PDF Text Text $1. 5 0 Northern Woman JournalNovember 1986, Vol. 10 No. 2, Thunder Bay, Ontario PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Editorial This issue of the NORTHERN WOMAN celebrates the artistry of women. In our small way we try to make VISIBLE the creativity of women. As Sasha McInnes (Interview p7) states "Women's art is images that empower us, that tell the TRUTH about who we are, who we can be, where we've come from not just about how we are viewed and treated in this malestream culture, but about who we are in the depths of our souls. These images are so deeply threatening in their truths and potency to the patriarchy that they have insidiously worked to eradicate them every time they have re-surfaced throughout history. Be sure that their invisibility is no accident of historical circumstance, certainly not due to some inability on the part of women to produce beautiful and meaningful works of art but a comprehensive and determined move on the part of patriarchal powers to eradicate the female principle from the face of the earth - to murder female energy - that of ALL women, white, black, red, yellow, from every socio economic stratum, everywhere in the world." In searching for new forms of expression - be they visual or literary - women's creativity enrichs and empowers us all. VIMEN'S CENTRE $ In the last issue of the NORTHERN WOMAN (Aug. '86) we described the attack on Women's Centre which culminated in a City "administrative review" following a City Council meeting where the Right to Life Association of Thunder Bay appealed their grant decision and their spokesman John Carroll was permitted to use the Council forum to attack Women's Centre. (The Right to Life Association subsequently disclaimed association with Carroll, and Carroll apparently now indicates he does not represent Right to Life -- however this contradiction seems to be lost upon Council). The report of the "administrative review" was presented to Council in late August. The report was little more than a summary of Women's Centre's financial information and program data for the past 51/2 years. The "pro-abortion" and "pro-lesbian" charges which brought about the review were not addressed. Without discussion or comment Council referred the report to the 1987 Financial Assistance Review process. We ask again WHY this review was undertaken. The answer may lie in the realization that to accommodate the review Women's Centre were obliged to waste weeks of precious time responding to City bureaucratic requests. Such diversion of women's energies deserves analysis! Now that the review is complete will the issue go away? Not very likely! It is to be expected that the Right to Life Association will continue to take every opportunity to oppose Women's Centre. But, as we have stated previously, the essential question is whether City Council will permit its offices to be the forum for Women's Centre bashing? This experience calls into question the whole issue of governthent funding for alternative services. How much necessary feminist work is subverted, how much energy diverted, by dealing with malestream funding agencies? Yet feminists are taxpayers too, and shouldn't we enjoy some of the benefits of our hard earned tax payments? This is not a new debate. But the time is ripe for the Thunder Bay feminist community to again analyze this issue. 4.- Women in. yews OICE Dear Women: This is post from Switzerland, from a woman, who would like to go to Canada for about one year, from April '87 until spring '88. I've got your address from GAIA'S GUIDE. I'm 21 and until now I've done different things, so I haven't got a profession yet. To meet and work with women from another country would be a great experience for me! So if you know about anything in Canada, where there's a possibility to go, please write me back! I'd be very happy to get an answer from you! Thanks a lot. Eva Keller Im Lee 13 CH-8400 Winterthur Switzerland Cover Credit: Detail of MENARCHE Tapestry Sasha McInnes History Dear Friends, I recently had my name changed back to my maiden, surname, Sherette. It has been a desire for'so long and of course quite a lot of resentment when I found out there never was a reason to have a name change with marriage. A pretty well kept secret by the "good old boys". A little late to be sure. I was 69 years old June 25, 1986, but anything that made me feel this good can only be right. Lawyer Patrick Smith made the change in 10 minutes. I thought it would be weeks or months. How many times has the same story been told in the past year or so? I appreciate the Northern Woman Journal so much and feel guilty because I am unable to give any of my time. The days are all too short. But I feel happy and secure to know there is a Northern Women's Cenre support group. Thanks and Love, Lester D. Sherette. Open the window, push aside the heavy curtains and beyond is the most fabulous vista- scenes of love, death, striving and creation beyond the twentieth century imagination. There are many windows into history, but the saga of women's lives gives us the richest and deepest understanding of the complexities of women's lives today. The course at Confederation College starts on Wednesday, January 14 at 7pm. Participants need not have taken any other history courses. The sessions will make full use of slides, films, pictures, videos and lectures as well as ample time for group discussions. For further information phone Joan Baril at the college (474-6336) or at home (344-6708) or watch out for the college callendar of night courses " The Owl", which will come out on November 26. Registration will start at the college December I. Since this course is also a college credit course for college students, the class fills up quickly. The cost is $56.25 for fifteen evenings. HOME TO SHARE Apology: The credit of graphic used on Page 3 of our August '86 issue should have read: the Newsmagazine by Alberta Women. Home to share co-operatively in Current River. with another non-smoking woman. Will consider children. Phone 807-683-5669 or write c/o Northern Woman Journal NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Family Law * Reformed Again by LYNN BEAK The two part article on Family Law now has been separated into three parts. This issue will deal with divorce and the next issue will address the new Federal and Provincial Support Enforcement agencies. In 1986 Canada received a new Divorce Act. It was the first major amendment to divorce since 1968 and it is an interim measure in an ongoing sociological and legal revolution, that will in time alter the nature of marriage and divorce significantly. The intention of the new legislation was to make the process more humane and the'results more responsive to people's practical need. In the past the divorce laws have been part of the pioblem rather than part of the solution, for women facing marriage breakdown and the intention vas to.make significant improvements.. The int-ost notable change is the elimination of fault oriented divorce, at least partially. There are now three grounds for an application for a divorce: the first is living separate and apart for 12 months; the second is adultery; and the third is physical and mental cruelty. The Federal officials are hoping that since litigation on the fault grounds (adultery and cruelty) is so costly, emotionally messy, and would probably take more than a year to get through the Courts anyway, that the one year separation is going to be a serious al- The new Act also shortens the time it will take to obtain a divorce In the past in areas outside of Toronto where the Supreme Court did not sit regularly, there was often a significant waiting period for a trial date. Once the hearing had been held, there was a further 90 day waiting period before the divorce was final. Now, an uncontested application for a divorce can proceed speedily since the parties will not have to wait for a trial date and the order is final 30 days after it has been signed by a Judge. In order toflarify what is meant by living, #eparate and apart for 12 months, the new Divorce Act has clearly stated that attempts at reconciliation during the 12 month period will not start the waiting period all over again. The parties can agree to resume cohabitation for periods as long as they do not exceed 90 days in duration in total and if reconciliation is the primary purpose for resuming cohabitation. Therefore if a couple have separated and want to try to save the marriage, they can live together for periods of up to 90 days and, if it doesn't word out, they can still proceed with the divorce at the end of 12 months. Support orders for both spousal and child support can be obtained during a divorce if these matters have not been resolved before the application for a divorce. The conduct of the parties is no longer a factor to be considered when assessing the amount of spousal support. The assessment now will be based on the needs of the parties and will assist the parties to move toward selfsufficiency. Obvlausly, the length of A woman who has performed housekeeping functions during a lengthy marriage will have greater difficulty finding a place in the work force and thus achieving self-sufficiency. Similarly a short term marriage, or one in which the womand worked during the marriage, will lead to short term orders for spousal support since self-sufficiency has already been established. This has put the Federal Divorce Act in line with the Provincial Family Laws and represents a recognition that both men and women have an independent obligation to support themselves. In the matter of custody, the new Divorce Act specifically sets out "joint custody" as an option to sole custody for one spouse. There have been few cases of joint custody in the past, and it has not been imposed upon unwilling parties. However, if mediation leads to less emotionally disruptive separations, then joint custody may become a viable option for more parties. The simplified divorce rules may lead to one problem. Many women do not know that they must make a claim for division of family property before or during a divorce. A etittnt*folt - - PrtY insTilot be commenced after aA' orce, since the parties are no longer spouses. If a woman obtains a diiorce on her own, and then tries to make an application for division of property, she may be too late. It will remain important for women to have legal advice to ensure that they are not jeopardizing any interest in property or funds that they may have. the marriage antfunctions performed during it are relarant when deciding on the amount of spousal support. ternative. Secondly, the new Divorce Act / attempts to move toward mediation rather than litigation as the forum for resolving disputes concerning the amrriage breakdown. At this time mediation is not mandatory but must be suggested by the lawyers acting for either spouse. If at a later date standards have been established for mediation services across the country then it is possible that mediation would become mandatory. The new Divorce Act also contains a provision allowing the two spouses to make a joint application for divorce when the grounds are living separate. and apart. Another improvement is Ole elimination of the necessity of a trial in uncontested divorces. Therefore if there are no contentious legal issues in the divorce and both parties want the divorce, then neither will have to attend at Court in order to obtain the divorce. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 �Update by PAT WILSON .e. The Social Assistance Legislation Review Committee, which is reviewing Ontario's welfare system will hold public hearings in Thunder Bay on December 10,1986. The overall direction of social assistance will be examined, and objectives set for program changes to meet the needs of the future. The review will also examine specific questions such as: is there sufficient direct support provided to social assistance recipients; is assistance available to all who should receive it; is assistance provided in a fair and efficient manner; what role do and should emergency food banks and hostels play. The review will cover the municipal welfare system, foster parents allowances, disability pensions and single parents assistance. Groups and individuals wishing to have input into the review should attend the public hearing and/or submit briefs or letters to the Committee. For more informations contact the Social Assistance Review, 2195 Yonge 10th Floor, Toronto, M4S 2B2. St. legislation this fall that will require private business to pay women the same wages as men if their work is considered to be of equal value. Mr. Scott has just released the report of the Pay Equity Commission. "The report indicates significant support for pay equity" stated Mr. Scott but he further added "however, the legislation must respect the interest of private enterprise in maintaining its economic edge". The Equal Pay Coalition, a lobby group representing a variety of women's and labour organizations feel the government is hesitant to bring in stong laws that would open the way for women in a wide range of jobs to achieve pay equity. It is about time that the subsidization of employer's profits by women's low wages was ended. 'RATTIER TAM CIVE you Ibu Ass: MR Iva *get ell GET A WIVI N LLM$RitVOR LESS UN YOU-. MORE mogey I WOULD PUT A MN ON/ YOUR WO , 000 Atikokan Transition House, having recently purchased a building are now busy winterizing, renovating and decorating the House. Anyone who would like to help please contact Eva Shields at 597-2868 000 000 Hoshizaki House, Dryden, have received funding to enlarge their paid staff. Within the near future they -hope to be employing an outreach counsellor, part-time child care worker and part-time House coordinator. The House will also be receiving the assistance of two students through Canada World Youth 000 000 Josie Wallenius of the Women's International League for Peace and Friendship is hosting 'Nuclear Alert', a series of six monthly programs on peace-related issues that will be shown on the cable tv channel. The first program 'Back to Basics' airs October 30th at 8 p.m., followed on November 27th by 'Seeking Alternatives'. 000 000 The Northwest Enterprise Centre has developed a non-traditional learning model for women who are considering small business as a career option. Susan Loppacher, of the Enterprise Centre stated "Women who are attempting to re-enter the job market are recognizing that they have fewer employment opportunities in the traditional employment generating industries. As a result, many women are considering self-employment as a career option. The six month program will cover financial management, business research, marketing, advertising, employee relations and communications skills. Anyone requiring further information regarding starting dates and cost of the next session contact Susan Loppacher at (807) 475-6400. An interesting footnote: More women are now starting their own businesses, but numerically there are still more new male entrepreneurs - however - when it comes to bankruptcies male owned companies far outnumber female owned businesses going bust 000 000 Ontario Attorney-General Ian Scott stated on September 3 that the provincial government will introduce 000 The Canadian Coalition on Depo Provera are requesting funds to assist them in their fight against the federal government's move to license Depo Provera for general use. Send your contribution to the Coalition c/o 25 Sixth St., Wards Island, Toronto, M5J 2C2 000 000 C.A.R.A.L. is seeking funds from all who believe in the freedom of choice. Donations will go to the C.A.R.A.L. Ottawa Lobby Fund and will enable the league to make plans for a strong presence in Ottawa this fall. Our Ottawa lobbyist will be able to provide educational material to the politicians immediately as our issue comes up. Send donations to National office, 344 Bloor St. West, Suite 306 Toronto M5S 1W9 000 000 have we anotner urown Attorney trying to make a quick name for themselves? A Portage la Prairie woman has been jailed for contempt of court for refusing to testify against her common-law husband, who is charged with assaulting her. Crown Attorney Linda Giesbrecht said the woman was charged with contempt because she continually failed to appear in court and refused to swear on the bible the times she did appear. The 20 year old woman is serving a three month sentence 000 000 Take care when referred by your doctor to an out of town specialist. Get your doctor to double check that the specialist is certified by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, as only specialists so certified are covered by the Health Travel Plan grant. It has come to the notice of the local MPPs that some patients have been refused payment of the health travel grant. MPP Gilles Pouliot has contacted the Health Minister Murray Elston but to date there has been no response.000 000 Newfoundland has become the second province in Canada without a legal abortion service. The first was Prince Edward Island, when in June, the only hospital on the island to perform abortions disbanded its therapeutic abortion committee. In Newfoundland the circumstances are not exactly the same - there is still a therapeutic abortion committee, but the province does not have a gynecologist who is willing to provide the service. According to Dr. Robbins, medical director of the General Hospital in St. John's, doctors in Newfoundland are subject to intimidation and harassment for carrying out abortions and they don't want the hassle. As things stand at the moment most women from these two provinces requiring an abortion travel to Montreal at the cost of $870 000 000 As of October 1st, 1986 the minimum rate of pay in Ontario will be increased. The general hourly rate will be $4.35, learner $4.25, students (under 18) $3.50 000 000 In mid-August sixteen Canadian women left for a two week study tour of Nicaragua. Organized by the brigades committee of Canadian Action for Nicaragua, the Simone de Beauvoir Tour will be hosted by AMNLAE, the Nicaraguan women's organization. Organizers believe this is the first all-woman tour to visit Nicaragua from Canada. The group includes edu,lators, artists, journalists, and women with a wide variety of experience in community, solidarity and women's organizations 000000 After watching various Democratic women candidates lose the 1982 election because of lack of funds, Ellen Malcolm became the founder and president of EMILY's list. EMILY is an acronym for Early Money Is Like Yeast - it makes the dough rise. EMILY's list formed explicitly to raise money early enough to ensure women candidates successful campaigns. So far $183,000 has been raised. Spokeswoman Kathleen Currie says "We use many of the political networks of the women's movement to assess a candidate's viability, then we talk to both the candidates and their staff. The candidates we choose have to be progressive, pro-choice, pro-ERA women who are viable candidates for a Democratic seat in the Senate. Curry feels the EMILY's list is "an interesting maturation of the political aspect of the women's movement. We've learned how to run a campaign, how to get out the vote, how to canvass." But Malcolm notes "We have to master the money issues, we hope to be able to support statewide races eventually." 000 A former Progressive Conservative candidate, Sharon Wolfe, has been named by Prime Minister Mulroney as the new Adviser on Women's Issues. Although active in organizations such as the Canadian Committee for Soviet Jewry and the Canadian Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, Ms. Wolfe has not been associated with any women's organizations. Time will tell how she feels about women's issues 000 C' fa k; ti-..) fx` Cv (3, con't page 14 WOMAN page 4 PDFNORTHERN compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Fiction Friendship by SUSAN G. COLLINS I want to tell you about myself and about my love affair; but where to begin?. For you to really understand, I'd have to start with my childhood. I wasn't starved or beaten, but I was a latchkey child in a troubled home, until I became a ward in a foster home. And then I met someone who promised me marriage, a home and a university education, and I swore an oath before God to love him and be faithful to him until death, because I thought I had to in order to avoid damnation. And then when he deserted me, five years later that oath came back to haunt me; and through the years of single parenthood and between the nervous breakdowns, the men came and went but I had them without wanting them, without caring for their efforts or their promises except as a salve to a broken spirit. So what was one more affair? The difference maybe wasn't in him; maybe he was no more special, or compatible with me, he didn't appreciate me, I should forget him. The difference was in me. I was divorced some years and ready to care again. I had no illusions; as he told me once, I played no games. I didn't need his promises; he never made any. That was his defense, when he severed our relationship: "I never said I couldn't,Teplace you," he said. I never said...and so on. Was that supposed to make me feel better? I thought. I had never expected I would ever live with him, but somehow I thought he would always be there for me: we were friends. Love, I had learned, doesn't last forever; but frienship, I believed, lasts a very long time. I was glad at first that he didn't ask me to meet his friends; I had my independence, I had my own life, and my time with him was spent alone with him. I wanted to be alone with him; I wanted to get as much of him as I could, and not have our relationship diluted or diffused with other people. But when he became really special to me...well, then he went back to an old girlfriend, and they spent time with friends and family, and then it hurt me that he acknowledged her, that she was "legitimate" in a way that I was Missing Dan isn't just his kisses, his muscles, his gentle voice and awful jokes. It's also not ever seeing the sun come up from his house, or trying to cuddle in his queen-sized bed, or fighting with his cat--the trappings, the specialness of the everyday. Nobody but Sylvie seems to understand the deep regret for all the things we never got to do as well for the ending of those things we did. Even after he went back with Dorothy, Dan would see me occasionally; and when I misplaced my diaphragm, I had it replaced, expecting him to come back to me. The crisis came when my period was late and I was on the verge of failing all my Christmas exams. Let him worry too, I thought. I pushed him for an answer--would it be me or Dorothy? " I'm not in love with you," he said. I sure will be glad to see my little Sandy again, after two months. He was camping with Joseph and according to Joseph he had a good summer. And oh, those mornings were special. Every other day, he was up early for work, while I, night person that I am, slept as late as I could manage. But at Dan's place I was up with the dawn, seeing the light filter through his curtains, opening the door to the cool of the country morning and the smell of the dew on the grass and in the bush nearby. I knew his schedule, and I dragged him from bed while he whined and groaned and called me a nag. Three years it took him to say that. The mornings watching the sun come up, the nights we wrecked the bed.-"We're lust friends," he said:. and I thought, "what else is there?"' I'm playing it cool now, lots of male friends but no one special. Lately I've been interested in a guy named Mike, I've known him three years but you know we were both involved with other people. He's Sylvie's old boyfriend. You know he's never asked me out, but now he's free I think I'll ask him. Love, I guess I've always known, doesn't last forever; but frienship, I still hope, can last a long, long time. not. I keep a diary, and I recorded some of this relationship, like when I saw him and he said that he would no longer see me. There is so much that never went on paper, but sometimes I tried. Like this entry: August 27 19-Sandy is coming Saturday! Last night Sylvie stayed over and I made a vanilla cake with apples and took the extra to friends. Got pretty much caught up on my sleep as Sylvie sleeps late. Joseph phoned and woke me up. Talked to psychologist briefly about Dan. Supposed to call him (Dan) tonight but he'll be late I bet. a feminist quarterly Justice ir Poverty 4' Race and Class 4i Motherhood I Global Lesbianism Issues # Social Policy 4 Sexuality 4 Peace Older Women 9 Labour # and more! $10 individual $20 institutions Breaking the Silence Box 4857 Station E S20+ supporting Ottawa. Ontario KIS Sit PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 �* * * It's zad, and bunny. Right to the bit test end, I tan my COLOUAZ into your palate. The mutky btown didn't daze you much. I guess, as an aAtizt, you're used to creative mishaps. Is this a cuts e, at a ptayet? Fading you out into distant itiendship, imagining out paths will ctoss hearts open, again, when tip_ adds bright warmth to greying temples, TWO WOMEN MEET Old in my shell young in my heart walking when I want to dance you tun me .vet as you tace bast shaking mottality in seatch (16 identity Look zee my eyes shining with the bitth oi wotds how the wind is in my hait zepatating each sitvet strand Do you zee me? I zee myset6 in you Tossing and tatning in the hczl glow o.6 memoty's 6tail image, between windblown touch and tettot ass tenderness .Ls swept into dust. Hey man, gonna drown? Ctouched inwatd by woman's bteaking out q6 zo6t shell into Volcanic Fotce, can't you handle it? young daughtet, sis ter, tnavetting companion completing each cycle enteting each new passage o6 tight my heart soars with passion undaunted by this slaw shell which now houses me I shall continue as me, as you Vout quiveting chest bettays the neaity packaged iceman. Youtt emotions, disguised as thoughts, zimmet heattache pietces uv the calm catattlkng violent storms. Rosalyn Taylot Suelynn r 03-7: .1: .44.7, fril je At en '11.-4 -4.4. "Trrp$71 rprWipPW,7:770-19-, .4.1-57; Mt 4-44 211,t2taLkAttr 141* 4" 181P/ Employment Equity Avw.1,-..41basntAam...,dFki Book Feminist by MYRNA HOLMAN Employment Equity in Thunder Bay appears to be off to a good start with the establishment of five Employment Equity programs. The City of Thunder Bay, St. Joseph's Hospital, the Lakehead Board of Education, the Lakehead Separate School Board and Lakehead University have hired coordinators to develop and implement Employment Equity strategies. Funding for the five programs comes from the Ontario Women's Directorate and the Ministry associated with wach organization. Unfortunately, the funding for the School Boards, Lakehead University and St. Joseph's Hospital ends December 31, 1986. It is important for the government to continue funding these programs. The need for Employment Equity in Canada has been well researched and documented. Many institutions and businesses in Thunder Bay should establish Employment Equity Programs. As well, Employment Equity funding should be expanded to include people with disabilities and visible minor- Equity. The members have written a brief to the Honourable Ian Scott, Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, which outlines concerns about funding for Employment Equity and makes recommendations. Also of note in Thunder Bay is the Equal Opportunity Management Program which is being offered by Confederation College for the second time. This program is unique in Canada and has attracted students throughout Ontario and from other provinces. The course includes three months of classes followed by a three monTh work placement. Graduates of the program are qualified to develop and implement Employment Equity programs. If you would like more information about Employment Equity, a member of NWOEEN can be contacted by phoning any of the organizations listed above and asking for the Employment Equity Coordinator. ities. Since the establishment of the five programs in Thunder Bay the Northwestern Ontario Employment Equity Network has been formed. NWOEEN was established to meet the needs of practitioners in the north abd of the northern community. NWOEEN members are available to give presentations to groups interested in Employment WANTED: WILD WOMEN WHO WRITE New lesbian/feminist press seeks material for possible publication,especially short stories and novels. For more information or to submit, please contact: Impertinent T'ress, Box 397 918-16 Avenue N.W. Calgary, Alta. T2M OK3. theory .fiction health poetry spirituality peace international periodicals NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 69 N. Court St. 344-7979 A DVO CAT E S I am interested in Thunder Bay Advoca for Quality Child Care. Please send more information Name Address Clip and, mail to: Thunder Bay Advocates for Quality Child Care Box 144, Thunder Bay P7C 4V5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN:page, 6 �INTERVIEW SaAha McInnes i4 a natutat media aAtizt tecentty moved to Thancuttentey -tying to det Bay. She maintain het zanity white titling amidt boxes, durt and catpentuo white waiting bon het ouudJo to be 6iniAhed in otdet to continue wank on a zeiLia (16 13 tape4tAie4 which witt become the 6ocuz of a 6itm by Studio D, Nationat Fitm Boated o6 Canada and which witt be exhibited at the London Regionat Acct Gattety, opening AL Hattom Eve, 1990. Saha tai with Routtyn Tayton, Donna Phoenix and Catotyn Greenwood about women in/and acct, women'4 ApiAituat pa/mage and powet. nook, tite4 R. Where shall we begin? S. I'd like to begin with the present because most of my life is in such disarray at the moment due to my recent (and happy) move to Thunder Bay, that I need to ground myself in what is happening right now. R. Okay, what's happening right now? S. Because my current series of tapestries involves-the cycles of women's lives, I had planned to travel to Ireland in the spring of 1987 in order to experience the sacred wells, standing stones and caves as well as to participate in a number of earth festivals relevant to women. However, since making the decision to move to Thunder Bay, I recognized tie folly of going to a country which is perpetually foggy at that time of year after spending my first winter in the north. Coincidentally, an artist friend from the U.S. invited me to meet her in New Mexico next spring to collaborate on a few pieces as well as to do some rituals together and attend several festivals. We want to do a cross-cultural collaboration in the belief that women around the world share deeply in common symbology and common celebration. So I will take special symbols and natural materials from Thunder Bay and we will integrate them with others from New Mexico, documenting our rituals both through photography and through imbedding the elements of our ritual into wall pieces. We're both inspired by the stories of Spider Woman and Spider Grandmother, who, according to the Navajo, brought weaving to the people and these stories will be our point of departure - or our point of return, depending on your perspective. rites and celebrations - just as they appear to be happening within the native communities in the north - stemming, I believe, from their desire to reclaim their traditional cultures and to become more centered in their rituals, but I think' that you would know more about what is going on here than I do. R. I don't either. D. I don't. S. Well, for example, there is a new native cultural centre in Thunder Bay - Nanabijou on Archibald St. - which, in my view, is very important. Oddly it's funded by the Children's Aid Society - clearly the Thunder Bay CAS is more enlightened than others. Two CAS women, Peggy KeesickPalkert and Dorothy Bird lobbied successfully for the centre,because they believe that native families need have a space in which they can become more grounded in their culture. They recognized how very critical it is for an oppressed people to reclaim its symbols and rituals so the centre will be undertaking Sacred Circle meetings, native language classes and art groups along with support programs such as baby-sitting and playgroups for their children. Since moving here I'm discovering that indigenous people everywhere seem to understand that their artists play a major role in helping centre them in their culture, providing them with affirmation and strength through making visible the symbolic language which reflect their beliefs and values. I'm excited about this because I resonate deeply with their fundamental belief in the power of symbols to enhance and transform reality which is what real power is all about and, as a feminist, I believe that our movement must integrate the cul- as a retreat from political action. To me, culture - which includes art and spirituality - and politics are inseparable. The lies about the nature and function of woman that are intrinsic to patriarchal religion and art have formed the legal, educational, political, economic and medical/psychiatric systems of our society and are accepted as "natural truths" by even the most modern and/ or atheistic citizens: I was an artist before I became a feminist and I found my fullest aesthetic expression as a feminist and also found my most far-reaching and meaningful political expression as an artist. I agree with Robin Morgan who has written somewhere that a political revolution that does not take seriously its artists, and does not see the aesthetic vision as inseparable in integrity from all,political action, is, by definition, a patriarchal revolution. R. Does this have anything to do with women's art being unnoticed or diminished? S. Yes, I believe that many of us have adopted male identified attitudes - which shouldn't surprise anyone once they consider what we learn about ourselves and who we learn it from. One of the great challenges of feminism is to move beyond the confines of patriarchial thought and methodology and narrow, constricting roles to become whole. And yes, I believe that the recognition of the power of symbols has a great deal to do with women's art being largely unnoticed - in fact largely invisible. If what you -mean by "women's art" is images that empower us, that tell the TRUTH about who we are, who we can be, where we' ve come from, not just about how we resonate deeply with their fundamental belief in the power of symbols to enhance and transform reality which is what real power is all about and as a feminist, I believe that our movement must integrate the cultural work of their sisters into feminist analysis and practice, Images tell us I who we most profoundly are and can be and it is folly to ignore or diminish their importance to our work, D. When did all this happen?' S. Michelle Morris and I have been corresponding for a number of years now but our plan to work together is a recent one - over the past few weeks. There are so many things going on in New Mexico that are interesting and compelling to both of us - many to do with women's tural work of their sisters into feminist analysis and practice. Images tell us who we most profoundly are and can be and it is folly to ignore or diminish their importance to our work. It's been my experience that too many feminists criticize our work as a form of cultural nationalism or are viewed and treated in this malestream culture, but about who we are in the depths of our souls. These images are so deeply. threatening in their truths and potency to the patriarchy that they have insidiously worked to eradicate them every time they have re-surfaced throughout history. Be sure that.their invisibility PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 �is no accident of historical circumstance, certainly not due to some inability on the part of women to produce beautiful and meaningful works of art but a comprehensive and determined move on the part of patriarchal powers to eradicate the female principle from the face of the earth - to murder female energy that of ALL women, white, black, red, yellow, from every socio economic stratum, everywhere in the world. I read something recently that really energized me - Paula Gunn Allen in her book THE SACRED HOOP suggests that feminists don't have to look very hard in our search for evidence of matriarchal existence because they had existed all over the northern, central and southern hemispheres until the arrival of the Europeans and, while threatened, continue to exist within a handful of logically sky oriented and indifferent to art. This period of patriarchy began about 5000 years ago. As male gods took precedence over the ancient Goddess and her female clergy, men assumed the right to make all the major decisions, because the male god had given them that right. What was left of the powerful images of the Goddess was diffused in the beliefs of classical Greece and Rome, where She was fractured into many parts, each subservient to the male god Zeus. The father had replaced the mother as the ultimate deity. In her book WHEN GOD WAS A WOMAN, Merlin Stone traced the image of the very first mother back to the times when She had come to be known as the earth and all of fife. From the small Venus figurines of the Paleolithic age, some 40,000 years ago, to the multitude of clay, bone and not approve of what the men did they had the power to impeach them! The Europeans refused to deal with the women and would only negotiate with native men. Many people believe that this is why the indigenous people of North America got such a raw deal the Indian men had little experience negotiating political issues and just signed everything away! R. But then, going back to Ireland, according to the NFB film Nuns: Beyond the Veil, there is a point where the Goddess imagery was replaced by the whole hierarchy of the church and made invisible. I never knew about any of this until I saw the film. S. Yes, the christians were very clever in choosing the methods with which to anihilate the Goddess. While they exerted enormous physical power (some scholars claim that 9,000,000 Goddess worship, so widespread in ancient periods, was araduallv sunpressed and obliterated by later religions that worshiped male deities and which were mobile, warlike, ideoloaicallv sky oriented and indifferent to art. This period of Patriarchy hewn about 5000 years ago. bands despite the attempt to bury them completely through acts of cruelty and matricide. She suggests that if we, white feminists, don't recognize this history and learn from it, if we deny its existence because of our patriarchally imposed modes of learning, then we are a racist movement. And I believe she is right. I believe that we have a whole lot to learn from native women, we have much in common, especially with those women who are trying to reclaim their culture. We share so many things, not the least of which is our efforts to ensure peace in the world and a loving, mutually supportive and respectful existence for all living things an end to violence and to the powerover dualistic thinking of the patriarchy. For this reason it was a very simple thing to change my plans to go to Ireland. My recent discovery of the similarities between my pre-Christian heritage as an Anglo-Irish and that of indigenous women convinces me that I will find the same female spirit in New Mexico as in Ireland. To me, that is a wonderful revelation! D. But you wanted to go to Ireland because that's the only place where the Goddess wasn't destroyed and is stronger? S. Initially I wanted to go to Ireland because that_is my heritage and the Goddess is present there despite the christian efforts to anihilate Her. But I hadn't looked in my own back yard and when I did I found that She hasn't been destroyed here either - we can see this from the literature of the past decade as well as by the mere fact of our coming together to talk about Her. She certainly is present in this vast and gorgeous Northwestern Ontario! D. Do native people have Goddes- stone statues of the earliest Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures, there is evidence that for thousands of years, our ancestors revered a Goddess as their creator. On the tablets of ancient Sumer, they wrote of Her as Ama-tu-an-ki, the mother who gave birth to heaven and earth. She had different names in different parts of the world but She was one. Until about 10 years ago, that story had been suppressed and largely forgotten. To get back to your question Donna, according to Paula Gunn Allen, until the coming of the Europeans, women in native cultures were also very powerful and revered as creators there were many symbolic representations of female spiritual power just as there were on other continents the Pueblo people knew Her as Spider Woman, the Hopi as Huruing Woman, the Navajo as White Shell Woman and Changing Woman, the Athapascan's of Western Canada called Uer Asintmah, the Bella Coola people of B.C. had Somagalags, She was Sun Sister to the Eskimo. When the Europeans arrived on the continent they found people who had strong connections to Her and women who had enormous power within their clans and they set out to systematically destroy them, using the same approach so successful on other continents thousands of years earlier. It was at the will of the women of the clans that their sons and husbands held powerful positions - if they did women were burned alive by the christian church) in their attempts to obliterate the womencentred religions, they correctly recognized that in order to maintain control they would have to co-opt our symbol system as well (the same way they do today through cultural censorship - keeping information from us through their refusal to publish, exhibit, record, and so on). By removing, replacing and subtly transforming our models for self determination, physical force was not needed to maintain control. R. How does this work? S. Religion is a system of symbols which act to produce powerful and long lasting behaviour and attitudes in a people of a given culture, Because they have both psychological and political arrangements that correspond to the symbol system, force is not necessary to keep them in line. Once people have internalized the symbols of a particular system those symbols function as internal police and the threat of violence or punishment is enough to trigger obedience. We see this everyday in the power the pope has regarding birth control and abortion for example! It is because religion has such a compelling hold on the deep psyches of so many people that feminists cannot afford to leave it in the hands of the fathers. As feminist scholar Carol P. Christ has pointed out, symbol systems cannot simply be rejected, they must be replaced. Where there is ses? S. Let's back up a bit and consider Her for a moment. According to Merlin Stone, the American sculptor, a long, long time ago, in the very beginning of human life, in Europe, Asia and Africa, people revered the mother of all life. Just as they'd been born from their own mothers, they envisioned a mother who had given birth to the cosmos and the very first people in the world. The Creator was the first mother. Goddess worship, so widespread in ancient periods, was gradually suppressed and obliterated by later religions that worshipped male deities and which were mobile, warlike, ideoNORTHERN WOMAN OCR, page 8 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, �When I enter menopause I'll send out hundreds of gold embossed invitations to all my friends so that they will come to my party and celebrate with me as I enter crone time! D. Let's bring back the menstrual hut! I don't call it menstruating any more - I call it "bleeding" ... S. ... yes, the bloods, moontime. Some native people, those who have not been overly influenced by the Europeans, have an interesting perspective on women who are bleeding. White people believe that Indians view women who are bleeding as dirty and that this is why women are forbidden to enter the sacred sweat lodge during their menstruation. The truth is that they believe bleeding women to be so incredibly potent that they will throw everyone else off kilter should they participate in the sweat. R. I had always assumed that the stories whites tell about this were no replacement, the mind will revert to familiar structures at times of crisis, bafflement or defeat. C. You were saying earlier that you need seven more tapestries for the film and exhibition. S. Ten more - I'm doing thirteen in total - one for each cycle of the moon, one for each menstrual period. D. Have women always used the number 13 or did we get it when men became afraid of it? S. Fear is a good word to describe their relationship to the number 13 since in Tarot the number of the Death card is 13, the magical lunar number of witchcraft and the religion of the Goddess, A year is composed of 13 lunar months. It was patriarchal culture that abondoned the 13th month, contrived the solar Calendar and put an aura of Jed luck around the number 13. Once the most sacred of numbers, signifying the end and the beginning, the number 13 now makes people so uptight that a hotel can't have a 13th floor! This speaks to me clearly to the distortion that has taken place in our culture over the issue of death because of patriarchal fears of and efforts to control nature Before the advent of electric lights and the nuclear family, when women lived and worked together as a collective unity, they also bled and ovulated together with the light and cycles of the moon - the cycle was 13 - perhaps this is another reason why the number has become taboo, D. I've noticed still that when women get together they menstruate together. C. I went to Michigan one year and everyone was menstruating at the same time. S. I love it Can you imagine the power at the festival? C. It was incredible - we were there for four days - you could really feel the energy! S. Blood everywhere - everybody washing out their sponges! D. Women have been trying to explain what happens to us during our cycles for a long time. Have you given this any thought? S. It is not easy in this day and age to imagine the shamanistic power inherent in menstruation. With many women in this country suffering from PMS and relating to their menstrual cycles as troublesome, painful or fundamentally negative, the idea of "psychic power" or "feminine potency" associated with menstruation may seem incredible. Yet healer Vicki Noble has shown that until recent history, a woman in her bleeding time was considered to be in a heightened state of awareness and wisdom. In ancient and "primitive" cultures, women went "underground" into what native people call the Moonlodge for 3 days and did not act in ordinary ways. They tuned into their innate psychic abilities at this magical time, opening to oracular messages from the spirit realm. They did this listening within for the benefit of the entire community, acting as shamans or healers, rather than as individual persons. In THE CULT OF THE GODDESS Lawrence Durdin-Robertson says that the first blood at the alter was women's menstrual blood, a potency given in a natural and living way in her monthly courses. He suggests that the entire ethics of religion rests on the question of from where the necessary blood is gotten. Ancient matriarchal religion, he says, got it naturally. When that religion was wiped out and replaced all over the world with patriarchy, the blood had to be gotten in other ways. Animals and humans were slain for the precious life force, a practice that continues today. The remnants of recognition of female blood power can be seen in the ways in which patriarchal culture defines menstruation as "unclean" and pathological. Western culture expects women to go ahead with "business as usual", rather than take time out to tune into themselves. Feminists have sometimes taken the position that women have no problems during their menstrual periods, nothing should prevent them from being Prime Minister or whatever they might want to do. This is a very shortsighted view, in my mind that requires rethinking and much discussion. If women take traditionally male positions and act them out in male-identified ways, then we are bound to experience menstrual problems such as PMS. However, if we were to replace men as leaders and power-holders, and to operate in inherently female ways, taking time out for sacred psychic work to make decisions from the deepest possible place, we would likely see real change in the fabric of our society. The menstrual cycle represents healing power - a transformation an exchange of the inner and outer powers, in balance - a time for going within. D. Now it's called the "curse" or the "rags". S. Yes, we have so few visible rites of passage in our culture this is one reason why I wove "Menarche" - it was a very important celebration for me and I will continue to celebrate deliriously my cycles. true: S. Clearly some native people have taken on white male attitudes just as some women have taken on pat-' riarchal attitudes and behaviour. However, I believe that many contemporary Indian people are, like all women, survivors of patriarchal woman hating and are working to reclaim the truths of their culture just as feminists are. Fortunately, many of their elders are still alive and so they don't have to sift through centuries of old and hidden documents to find their truths. D. You are saying, in a sense, that our elders are our Goddesses, the women who have gone before our role models, the women who we know were strong. They are our elders and we are trying to listen to what they had to say and we're trying to bring back truths that were lost. S. Yes, in many ways that's true for me yet on some levels it hasn't been so conscious. For example, in 1976 I had an exhibition in which the tapestries were based on a series of books by Evangeline Walton about prechristian Ireland. It was claimed by the publisher to be a fantasy series - you know, one person's fantasy, one person's myth, is another person's history. Often women's history is categorized as "myth", especially pre-christian "history" thereby diminshing it and suggesting subtly that it's not to be taken too literally. Anyway, at the opening of the exhibition, a man came up to me and said something like "You are obviously into Robert Graves, you obviously have read his The White Goddess". I had no idea what he was talking about and so intrigued and fascinated that I bought the book and what I learned was utterly exciting and affirmed my emerging belief in ancestral memory and the collective unconscious. I discovered that women in every part of the world had been using the symbols I had used in this series of tapestries - totally without awareness. I learned that forever and always women have been using universal symbols in every culture - the moon, the chevron, spiral, circle, inverted triangle, animals such as frogs and turtles, trees, water, shells - for one reason or another they all relate to the Great Goddess. I was so energized by this discovery literally changed my life and since that time other discoveries have come to me that have helped me in various ways to understand my heritage and my position in contemporary society. For one thing, the fact of our common symbols is used against us by NORTHERN WOMAN page 9 ' PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �cultural agencies, the art establishment and the boys who run it. They seriously diminish our work by stating "it's been done - it's dated" thereby dismissing it without consideration. If it's been done, I ask, why don't most of us know about it? Why haven't we seen this work? Why hasn't it been exhibited in our galleries and interpreted in our art press? What are they afraid of? If truth be told it is my view that the ancestral memories of our cultural workers compel them to deny our work because if it were truly considered and if its visibility were facilitated, contemporary men and those who cater to them would have to confront and deal with their complicity- through silence - in the violence and matricide which women have had to endure these past 10,000 years. If the cultural establishment, the gatekeepers of our symbolic language, those who practice cultural censorship with such "professionalism", were to permit us through the gates, they would have to deal with their own fears of our potency, they would have to confront and deal with their own woman hating, their own weakness, their own dependency. I, for one, don't believe for a minute that they could cope with the horrendous guilt - the consequences they would have to bear for denying us our lives for so long, for inventing and spreading atrocious lies about us, for condoning, through their censorship and silence, unspeakable acts of violence against us and their children - it just runs too deep. Starhawk once told me that young boys and girls were made to watch as their mothers and other female relatives were burned alive at the stake and I have thought a great deal about what this would mean for the women and men who have followed - their children and children's children, all the way down the line to 1986. Can you imagine watching your mother burn? Can you contemplate the horror? Can you allow yourself to consider the messages that this would give you about what it means to be a woman or a man in this world? If you would, for a moment, suspend disbelief and consider the idea of ancestral memory - the notion that we remember, through our very bones, events that occured to our ancestors. The realization that men and women carry memories inside them today is very instructive and revealing. It would explain to me why so many women deny the reality of our/their lives and refuse to join' us. It would explain why so many men work so hard to deny us our lives, to deny the truths of our power - even to themselves - for if they were to do so, their shame at the recognition of what has been done to us by their brothers, and continues to be done, in the name of their god, would simply propel them - en masse - into Lake Superior. Women who have influenced me: Andrea Dworkin, Kathleen Shannon, Starhawk, Carol Christ, Georgia O'Keefe, Nelle Morton, Hildegard of Gingen, Nor Hall, Emily Carr, Michelle Morris, my maternal grandmother Molly Craig, my mother Mary McInnes, Vicki Noble, Paula Gunn Allen, Mary Daly. Favourite books:(at the moment) The Journey is Home - Nelle Morton The Moon & the Virgin - Nor Hall I send a Voice - Evelyn Eaton Music and Women - Sophie Drinker The Crone - Women of Age, Wisdom and Power - Barbara Walker Four Essays in Feminist Ethics Marcia Freedman When God Was a Woman - Merlin Stone Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky, Physical Reality and Beyond -'Lawrence Leshan and Henry Margenau The Sacred Hoop - Paula Gunn Allen The Silbury Treasure and the Avebury Cycle - Michael Dames anything by E.M. Broner, Andrea Dworkin, Susan Griffin, Mary Daly, Anne Cameron, Adrienne Rich, Barbara Walker, Paula Gunn Allen, Vicki Noble, Starhawk. Carolyn P. Greenwood manipulate that record. I do thit through the manipulation of the actual piece and also because my work is staged. I don't photograph "slices of life". Each individual piece is created for that moment. In a way each piece is a still-life, created as an individual but also meant to be seen as part of a whole. The whole being that particular body of work. A body of work as a form of storytelling. I'll start by telling a little about myself. I am a woman photographer, feminist, 31 years of age and recently returned to Thunder Bay. I studied photography at Ryerson in Toronto. I went there not to become a commercial photgrapher but to learn the technical skills necessary to express myself in my chosen media. I had been aware for some time that I had a need to express myself through an artistic medium. Painting didn't seem to be the answer. I found that the anchor to the concrete, the realism photography offered was what I needed. In order to be free to explore I needed some constrictions. Believing as I do that you cannot express an artistic view until you master the skills necessary, I studied to free myself. I first started working in black and white, dealing with the isolation I felt, heth emotional and physical, living in an urban environment. The silver process expressed this better for me than colour would. Even though I wanted the realism photography sug- gested, I wanted to step back a little from it. As my vision evolved and the focus of my work changed I realized I needed something different than black and white. I became interested in different historical processes and because of this was introduced to. Kwik-Printing. The Kwik-print process is photgraphic in nature. A large negative(s) is made and from this the image is printed. It is a colour process in which the colours are put on in layers (somewhat like silkscreening) or in particular areas. I was attracted to the process because while it is in colour, it is colour that I have total control over. Both in choice of actual colours themselves and placement. The way in which I use colour is extremely important to my work. I can colour things as realistically or surrealistically as I like. While I like the realism of- The stories I tell are personal, based on emotional responses to mine own environment. The colours I use are taken from my dreams and memories and are meant to evoke an emotional response in the viewer. The symbolism I use is also dream related and again is meant to awaken a recognition on behalf of the viewer. I am presently working on a body of work still in the birthing process. It deals with the past year of my life, my responses to my feelings about family, connections between people and places. fe -e,? bq n photographic process I need the freedom to explore offered by Kwik-Printing. I like the idea of a manipulated reality. The camera records what is placed in front of it. PDF compression, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN' WOMAN page OCR, 10 �Gert Beadle Honoured Our nation's highest honour, the Order of Canada, has been awarded to Gert Beadle, feminist poet and long time Northern Woman Journal member. I exist in a .gaud .hence here at the bottom o4 the wett. I heat mysetA singing as though I cowed straddle a high note and tide beyond myset4 to whete the game is. Evetything a too neat here, the agenda o4 my possibte tAip was wait beAote my time, when tadies sat on cushions and only boys coutd ctimb. I beat my head in anguish against I.W.Y. What i4 the drum that beat the otd yeah in and out was hottow, we danced. the tacky watt oA .cove, and pray AoA wings to lift me to the etements above. Oh! caAeAut, cateAut 4:4 my ti4e and naAAow is my poAtion, and I who die to Aide the tivet, singte-handed on a tact, must ptetend to be a viotet shtinking to avoid the dAaAt. What i4 we knew the peopte who made the drum and catted the shots were toughing. To hett with them we're dancing. (1936) Emerging in 1974 to finally share four decades of hidden writing, Gert has delighted, excited and inspired not only her Northwestern Ontario friends but countless others through her readings and her published works. As the introduction to her first volume of poetry Salt and Yeast describes... "we found her questioning the roles of woman as child, as mother, as grandmother, and finally as feminist who could look in retrospect and see herself in transition, not as a new feminist at last, but as one who concealed herself in the poems she hid .... she cemented her philosophy, the true courage, the great heart and the common oppression". 'WOMAN'S SONG Fat we wilt make out own drum and beat it too, we'tt wnite the music and the words and keep on moving, step-step shuAAte-whiAt and hustte. Gert left Northwestern Ontario a year ago for the gentler west coast climate but Gert's northernness is as integral to her being as her feminism. I want to go,Aon bAoke. I want to tisk it.att, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO Aee the day I'm in, hear tomottow catt. ,one we a di44etent breed, has this abandoned bastard chid o4 the pampered east seasoned us Act the sttuggte o4 Aecognition conditioned us to tooting deeper in this stubborn soft o4 poveAty and pot hates - The ketnet in the straw a what I'm Wen, Having no need {y of seAvite gratitude I want to peel the orange and crack the nut o4 taughtet. Have we become move ttuty outzetves, with nothing to Lose but the pretension o4 tank and the tip smice o4 detinquent potiticians. Do we fleet {nett to challenge the buteauctacy on its policies (14 tape without consent and it's patAiaAchat 'w es o4 thumb. Behind this Notthetn Shield we ptactice the otd auto o4 sutvivat, out aAtows gy east as a matt etc o4 ptincipte, pticking theit sensibilities into awareness that we ate not impressed by pateAnatistic gestures (tam the decadent regimes. We shatt not be taught, on bought, an bribed to suntendet what tha north has told us. We ate the non conpAming inhetitotz oA a culture that made it's own music. I want the .cove in toying, I want the satt in teats, I want the sweat in stAiving, I want no wasted yeau. I want to watk beside you, matching you, stride AoA stAide, I want to be sepaAate, tog ether, not hatA oi a &Learn that died. Salt and Yeast, published in 1977, was followed by Risirig in 1980, and her most recent volume The Resisting Spirit in 1985. In each instance Gert has directed the proceeds from her publication to assist women's caused in Northwestern Ontario. The Journal, the Northern Women's Centre and Faye Peterson Transition House have all benefitted from Gert's generosity. The Journal, and all your NWO friends salute you Gert, on this most recent and prestigious achievement. We expect this experience to gender much new writing. Not off the press ! CHILD BRIDE AM They asked me: "When Can we Vance At your wedding?" THE 1987 CANADIAN WOMEN'S THE DIRECTORY A bilingual index At last! of women's groups across the And I thought: "No one Witt Vance At my wedding." country 2,000 useful addresses An essential networking tool! ,00G NID Susan Cottins Available in bookstores $7.95 + $1.00 (postage & handling) Les Editions Communiqu'Elles 3585 St. Urbain Street Montreal, Qc, H2X 2N6 (514) 844-1761 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN;WQMAN-p4gp:41 �A KIND AND GENTLE MAN We were mattied which seems zo tong ago The totment thtough the yeaAs no one wilt eves. know He was a tolling and gentle man ALL the mote harden to undetztandFUn emetging within him was a beast Once suqaced my tine began to cease Knowing this about him I quickty Learned to blame myzeti What had I done to maize him this way, On he showed kindness with evetyone ase It Vatted out so beautiiutty The house, the chitdten kilted with glee Then out 6itzt teat argument came that stopped me in my ttacks Fot about my head and lace he gave same powequt smacks My 6itst instLnett went to take the children and go With hits stinging wands and Lying 6iztz he changed my mind with blow by blow I waz ttapped with no way out, sot who cowed undetstand Atitaid to stay, a4taid to Leave th,i.s kind and gentle man NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL Wetwatdz he'd hold me in his arm and tett me that he eared That he'd atwaqz Love me and we had out fives to shake Supporting individual women and organizations as they work together for ---- He's say with a teat, I'll never do Lt again I am so sonny that I caused you such pain Please don't Leave me, don't even go I Love you so much and need you so This went on sot many yeaAs Inside me a tivet oi unshed teats Fot I cowed no tonget cty on stet The nightmate I Lived was so unteaf Who could possibfy undeutand To otheAz he stilt zeemed such a gentte man equality for women in education, employment, the home and community. - -- Working to eliminate the barriers that prevent local and regional women from reaching; their full potential. - Lobbying on issues to improve the quality Of women's lives in Northwestern Ontario. - Providing resources to existing and emerg- Thete wete no mote zottiez, just thteat Wet thteat Fat i6 I even te4t him, I would not Live to tegtet ing status of women's organizations. -- Networking area women's organizations to share ideas and concerns. I ever teit him, I would not .Live tong enough to tegtet Fot So with a knik at my throat and site in his eyes I sett my mind explode as he said hiz godd byes I heard the baby cky and the other holler, daddy please don't An .inner zttength 9/Lew inzide as I hotteked to het, he won't As I gtabbed the chadten and tan I 'okayed, God please Let me make Lt to the door Once out side the door I knew not what to do It seemed 6otevet since I'd had a 6tiend to say I cake about you Thete was a kind ad woman standing in the hall She had heard my cut y On help, ptom the distance I had carted Opening he door she said I undeAstand, pteaze come in here Fot I've seen many times in yout eyes the tonetine44 and beat Foil. I too Lived son many years as a battened wise You can acts° through a helping hand buitd a betters ti6e h'tdtie 01111( MVOs 111-11101111711' With I epresell Lawn iron: rn.rn.1 roginna! communities. Chit' achy:lies mu! pri(:rittes ale ciesigned to relied the i;;110. prosonted N'orilitycstem Ontario women. I FOR FURTIIFR INFORMATION, CONTACT: NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL 221 BAY STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7B I RI (807) 345-3606 Bonnie Agnew BOOK REVIEW: by LYNN HAUTA Lily Briscoe: A Self-Portrait by Mary Meigs, 1981, Talonbooks, Vancouver, 260p. Mary Meigs is an American artist, now living in Quebec. This, her first book, is autobiographical, describing her growth as a person and artist. She provides tantalizing glimpses of her life as a young girl growing up in a wealthy, politically influenial family in Washington, D.C. The scope of her privileged, isolated state can only be guessed at by most readers. Imagine if you can, not knowing until you're in your twenties that people exist who are poor, do not have servants and do not invite the president to supper, This family background became an enormous source of guilt to her since painters typically have to "suffer" in some way in order to bring their art to life - a fact that other artists and art critics seldom failed to mention. She appears to be extremely insecure, constantly defending herself throughout the book. The fact that she prefers women to men adds to her emotional distress. It is not until late in life (she wrote the book at 60) that she could accept herself as a lesbian without putting the words "sort of" in front of the word. Although she says that she has resolved her problems, I still find her at the end of the book defending herself and her life with the only difference being that she has added death to her list of things to worry about. I found that I enjoyed the book especially at the beginning. She writes eloquently about her feelings and her struggle to gain self-confidence but after a while I grew tired of reading about anecdotes that illustrated her insecurity. I found myself getting impatient with her for constantly putting herself down. I was also disappointed that there was, not more about her life with Barbara or Marie-Claire. I would think that after living with Barbara for 15 years she would have much to say about their relationship and how it affected her, and yet we are only given glimpses of it. The six years she lived in a triangle relationship with Barbara and Marie-Claire must have had a great influence on her emotional state and her painting but it is glossed over with a fats lines. about her What she dog,private life left me intrigued and wanting to know more, but it's not there, This book would be superb reading for anyone that is interested in self-analysis and enjoys reading about other people's thoughts. Personally, I would have preferred to read about more concrete incidents in her life rather than what she dreamt at night and what the dreams could be interpreted to mean. The book must have been a catharsis for her, to help her straighten out her feelings about herself, but the general reader, unless going through the same process of self-discovery, will find some of the book tedious. NORTHERN WOMAN page 12 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, - �MATCH THE MASTERPIECE by JOAN BARIL lo Aurora Leigh A. Novel: Kate Chopin 2. Laughing Forest Bo Poem: Elizabeth Barrett Browning 3, The Book of the City of Ladies C. A 15th Century defense of women: Christine de Pisan 4. The Woman's Bible D. Science Fiction: Charlotte Perkins Gillman 5. The Edible Woman E. Suffragette song: Cicely Hamilton 6. The March of Women F. Diary: Maria Caroline de Jesus 70 Unshackled G. Poems Stevie Smith 80 The Awakening Ho Painting: Emily Carr 9. Greatgrandmothers I. Film: Studio D, National Film Board 100 Three Guineas J. Autobiography: Christabel Pankhurst 11. Herland K. Novel: Margaret Atwood 12. Child of the Dark L. Essays: Elizabeth Cady Station 13. Not Waving But Drowning M. Non-fiction: Virginia Woolf O'CI !d'ZT !WIT !WOI !I'6 !V'S !ft !a`9 !N`g o's/ / / !SiaMSNV !0`£ !WZ // 15, A ifkle, 1W,14/41/11///41, / ,/// / / // WOMAN WORDS ACROSS 1. The Journal celebrates her.27. 6. Ibsen character. 10. The Big Boss in Syrian patriarchal religion. 30. 14. Rapidly 34. 15. russes 35. 16. The zenith 36. 17. Assassinated president of 37. Egypt. 18. Charged atoms. 19. mite: rock 20. Asked earnestly. 21. A massacre of the sons of women. 22. Pilot 24. Blayton: author of children's stories. 26. "Desert of the Heart" author. 2 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. What a woman is exp to do in male-domin society. Anti-censorship spo The Eskimo people Liberals Unit of square measu Subjected to abuse b What P.M.S. used to Goddess of Nature And so forth A Latin American wo A social group base respect for all the our Mother gave us. Prepare for public a ance. 45. "And Now We A. Milne children's 3 111 rillillIl 14 15 7 18 20 1111 21 1111 27 '8 11111 30 29 III 11111 37 38 ill Nil 43 44 [ill 48 01150 51 56 57 III 60 61 Fill PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �UPDATE 000 continued MATCH, the only Canadian development agency concentrating its support exclusively on women through overseas project funding and education, has produced a video entitled 'Women; All One Nation', composed of images of women worldwide and tightly woven together with a lively narration and evocative music. 'Reproductive Hazards in the Workplace: Some Cases', a new booklet produced by N.A.C.'s Employment Economy and Health Committees, is particularly designed as a training manual for unions and other interested groups. (NAC 344 Bloor St. W., Ste. 505, Toronto, M5S 1W9 - $1.50) toe* Resources Against Pornography has an action-oriented workshop series which they are prepared to offer women's groups.Workshop 1 'Pornography Lies' encourages the individual to acknowledge their personal responses to pornography, and ends positively with an exploration of alternatives to pornography. Workshop 11 is Making Connections - the connection with rape, incest, wife battering, sexual harassment, reproduction, prostitution and women's economic inequality. Workshop 111 'Yes I Can!' There is something you can do about pronography. Group members are invited to discover their own resources for combatting pornography. Workshop 1V 'Yes We Can! We can all work together to fight pornography. Group members share their individual action experiences and receive moral support for future efforts. A detailed brochure about this workshop series can be obtained from Northern Women's Centre, or you can write Resources Against Pornography, Box 695, Station C, Toronto M6J 3S1. A unique manual has been prepared by the Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre. 'Working With Survivors of Sexual Assault' provides knowledge which will enable helpers to approach this subject with more assurance. Other publications from the Victoria group include 'Let's Talk About Sexual Assault' and 'Reservations for One: A Woman's Guide to Safe Travel. (Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre, 1045 Linden Ave., Victoria, V8V 4H3. Anyone interested in the 1985 World Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, and Forum '85 should pick up the Spring/Summer issue of Canadian Women's Studies, published by the York University Project. The whole issue is by and about women of all nations who attended these two conferences. 'Women: All One Nation' explores how women are disadvantaged at work - unpaid in the home and underpaid in the work place - how this contributes to the global feminization of poverty. It also portrays women's exclusion from most decision making structures, and documents the pervasiveness of sexism in all societies. The conclusion focusses on women's emerging consciousness, solidarity and organization. (Contact MATCH, 401 - 171 Nepean St., Ottawa, K2P OB4) Two new films of particular interest to women - 'Working Girls' and 'Loyalties'. Lizzie Borden, writer, director, producer, and editor, made Working Girls, set in a middle class Manhattan brothel, to de-romanticize and de-mystify prostitution. Borden spent many years researching the backA new publication encourages battered women to seek financial com- ground for Working Girls, and from this research has attempted to make pensation for their injuries. The an honest down-to-earth film reflectbooklet, 'Compensation for Battered ing the lives of prostitutes and their Women' explains, in an easy to read customers. According to Borden it is format, how an abused woman can go a film about "love or the lack of it, about getting compensation either it is about passionless power, and through civil lawsuit against her options, or lack of them". attacker or through the Ontario CriIf you live in Quebec you will minal Injuries Compensation Board. be able to see 'Working Girls' but The booklet was put together by law unless two cuts are made, we in Ontastudents at the University of Westrio will not get the same chance. Are ern Ontario under the direction of we that much more immature in Ontario, Professor Connie Backhouse, and is or is the Ontario Film and Video Reavailable free of charge from Univerview Board frightened that our sensisity of Western Ontario, Faculty of bilities would be shocked by real Law, London, N6A 3K7 sec ' 000 New publications/reports of interest A recent study entitled "An International Survey of Private and Public Law Maintenance of Single Parent Families" reviews the economic situation of the single parent family in Canada. This paper, by Karen Bridge, examines the various problems met by single parents; the awarding and enforcement of maintenance orders; constitutional difficulties; current federal and provincial initiatives; and the conflict between the private and public law support systems. (available from Status of Women Canada,,,Documentation Centre, 151 Sparks St. 10th Floor, Ottawa, K1A 1C3. The Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women (CCLOW) has just released 'The Decade of Women: Special Report". This collection of 22 articles examines the themes of the Decade - Equality, Development, Peace, from the perspective of how they have influenced women's education, training and employment issues, in Canada and in Third World nations. (CCLOW 47 Main St. Toronto M4E 2V6. life. At the moment of going to _p_rettsr ... The National Film Board has announced the release of 'Feeling Yes, Feeling No', a program on the prevention of child sexual assault. This program is available in both film and video formats, and includes a comprehensive guide, classroom plans and activities. An adaptation for use in the home is available in VHS and BETA formats. The film is offered at a special price of $24.95 plus tax, or is available at the NFB this decision is under appeal.'Working Girls' received its world premiere last May as an official part of the Cannes Film Festival, and at the Montreal festival screening drew rave reviews. 'Loyalties', directed by Canadian Anne Wheeler, is about aspects of Metis life in Canada, involving the friendship between an upper-class British woman and an uneducated Metis woman. Critics have called this movie "a wonderful, heartwrenching film" aim offices. e. LA A e. .1....;--AN V7 v7 v, LN tA ;' V' V Ni7 y' V V PINK TRIY:r.L-7, NORTH PRESS RELEASE Pink Triangle North Consists of gays of the North concerned with homophobic.opinions which recently appeared in the media. Homophobia is described as varying degrees of fear, dislike, and hatred of homosexuality. These feelings often result in prejudice, discrimination and hostile behavior toward people believed to be gay. Pink Triangle North members are gay and prou& We would like to hear from others who support equality for gays/lesbians. Donations will be greatly needed. Through factual information, homophobia can be reduced. We are offering information and support to those insulted by homophobia. Because of our lack of rights, confidentiality is definitely insured. Please write: THE MISSING LIMB I zee you, in my mind Az cleat az the pictute That I catty: The mizzing timb L ztitt My heantteachez out To thi4 Hezh T 0 R N FAOM my own Yet Exizting zepatately. Susan Cottin6 PINK TRIANnE NORTH Kinesis BOX 2311 TIMMINS, ONTARIO. P4N 8E7 PDFNORTHERN compression, WOMAN pageOCR, 14 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Bill 7 As we go to press Bill 7: An Act to Amend the Ontario Human Rights Code, which includes a clause (Section 18) which will ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, is being debated by the Ontario legislature. The debate has included an opposition filibuster which has delayed passage of the Bill. More seriously, the debate has prompted a type of media response that can only abet homophobia. An analysis of this response is important, thus the Northern Woman Journal is departing from our policy of publishing only womanauthored material to print the following thoughtful statement prepared by Gays of Thunder Bay. HUMAN RIGHTS IN ONTARIO: A CALL FOR HONESTY, FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY The following remarks are a response by the Education Committee of Gays of Thunder Bay to the current debate on Bill 7. This release is dated Saturday, November 29, 1986. At this time, a vote on final passage of Bill 7 in the Ontario Legislature has not occurred. For the past week we have witnessed an accellerated debate on Bill 7: An Act to Amend the Ontario Human Rights Code. Bill 7 contains a clause, Sectiot 18, which will ban discrimination in Ontario on the basis of sexual orientation. It is this sexual orientation clause that has galvanized public attention and come the focus of the debate. In the Legislature, the case in support of Bill 7 was initially presented by Attorney General Ian Scott and Evelyn Gigantes. Ms. Gigantes originally moved the sexual orientation amendment to Bill 7 when it was in committee, where the amendment received all party support. In the days following Mr. Scott's and Ms. Gigantes' presentations, other members of the Ontario cabinet and NDP caucus members spoke in support of the Bill. Without exception, the contributions to the debate in support of the bill have been characterized by brevity, generousity and an attention to detail. Again and again they strove to bring the focus of the debate back to the actual Bill itself, what it says, what it will and will not do. The nature of the debate in opposition to Bill 7 has been characterized by fear, distortion, bigotry, irrelevance and at times, simple ignorance. On the floor of the Legislature we have seen and heard fear and hatred addressed toward gay men and lesbians. We have heard pious statements about how gays should be treated the same as anyone else, followed by distortions of fact and misrepresentations of the implications of the Bill. Locally in Thunder Bay, some of the media have echoed most of the worst elements of the legislative debate. Published statements have included the following: - "Homosexuals may work where they wish and cannot be fired for their sexual preference." This is simply false. Gay men and lesbians have been fired from their jobs for decades in Ontario. We have factual cases of this happening in Thunder Bay. Further, such cases and other examples of discrimination against gays were documented in a brief presented to all members of the Legislature, titled 'Ontario Human Rights Omission'. - Bill 7 will give homosexuals "special rights and enshrine their lifestyle and behaviour". It will do nothing of the kind. The Bill seeks to address an imbalance in the human rights granted to citizens of Ontario. Currently gay men and lesbians can be lawfully discriminated against in areas of employment, housing and public services without recourse to appeal. These are rights already shared by other citizens of Ontario. The Bill will extend those rights to the gay community. These are not special rights. These are the same rights other Ontarians already have. We have not heard anyone speaking in opposition to Bill 7 explain what special rights they are talking about. This is a specific point of distortion utilized to fan fear and righteous indignation. As to the issue of lifestyle and behaviour, the Ontario Human Rights Code does not now - nor will it when Bill 7 is passed - enshrine anyone's lifestyle or behaviour. Anyone's behaviour that breaks the law is subject to the conditions and punishments of the Criminal code of Canada. Bill 7 does not alter that fact. - "Homosexual behaviour and lifestyle is against Christian morality" and threatens traditional family values. This has nothing whatever to do with Bill 7. Yet it is frequently raised as a flashpoint issue in the debate. Ontarians live in and share a pluralistic society. Hindus, Moslems, Jews, Buddhists and Sihks or atheists cannot be discriminated against because their lifestyle may be - and more than likely is - in conflict with Christian morality. To suggest homosexuals should be discriminated against because they threaten Christain morality might be grounds for religious discrimination in reverse' the triumph of the self-righteous. - Bill 7 will force workers and neighbours "to put up with .. unwelcome association with homosexuals". Yes. In areas of employment, housing and public services, discrimination will not be allowed. The journal that published this statement immediately added: "Friction, and probably violence, will surely follow". (emphasis added). That a responsible journal would make such an inflammatory remark, escalating fear and loathing of homosexuals, is almost unbelievable. No justification either in fact or logic was offered in support of that statement. The truth, is something altogether different. Quebec has had in place similar legislation for almost a decade. Friction and violence have not "surely followed". As well, certain municipal governments in Ontario have had similar bans against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in place for areas under their jurisdiction. The result has been largely that people get along with each other. The spectre of wild, repugnant and unwelcome behaviour by the suddenly legislatively "freed" liberal homosexuals is a sham. It is shameful and a disgrace that responsible journalists repeat this lie. In the final analysis, what is being attacked and condemned in this debate is homosexuality itself. Intolerance, bigotry and hatred are openly being utilized to encourage fear and loathing of homosexuals on an unprecedented public scale. It has become, in fact, the unacknowledged focus of the debate. And in the zealous rush to generate and inflame greater fear toward gays and lesbians, sight is lost of just what Bill 7 - the legislation - is: an act to extend human rights in Ontario. In the long run, after Bill 7 has been voted upon, regardless of which way the vote goes, we will still be here. There will still be homosexuals. Society will still go on. We must still live next to each other. The Bill will not change this. But the debate has already changed the conditions of life after Bill 7. The hatred and fear that is being generated now has done real damage to lesbians and gay men in Ontario. The inflammation of fear and ignorance has worked toward undoing years of progress toward tolerance and equality. And it is an ugly legacy to be given to the young in society: a legacy of bitterness, fear and hatred. The opposition to Bill 7 has done a disservice - in the manner and tone of how they've presented themselves - to the health of society. It cripples our abilities to live in tolerance and fairness, qualities necessary for life after Bill 7. Edi.tout note: The amendmentz to Sitt 7 wee passed by the Ontaitio teg-bstatww. on Dec. 3/86. This Ls onty the beginning of the stAuggte to efiminate homophot tflat has allowed the above mentioned corer ent)s to be made in what we a7Le asked to beZieve -L6 a PLee hoeietyo "141.41C2 d Womens Newsletter PrEI5r,(1)0/Adisi P.O. Box 2306 Pleasant /Jill, Cd 94523 send $2 for sample issue Telewoman is a national lesbian networking newsletter with an emphasis on resources & contacts for women who write poetry and fiction, women in the arts and photography, and women whose spiritual perspectives are central in their everyday lives. Book reviews, exquisite graphics, outstanding cover art by lesbians, links between country and city lesbians. Subcriptions $20.00/yr. a- PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �WHAT'S NEW in the BOOKSTORE Those who have been delighted by Vicki Noble's MOTHERPEACE: A Way to the Goddess through Myth, Art & Tarot, will certainly want the companion Astr logy and the Motherpeace Cards: THE OTHERPEACE TAROT PLAYBOOK, by Vilcki Noble and Jonathan Tenney (Wingbow Press). The PLAYBOOK gives detailed explanations for expanding the use of the Motherpeace Tarot Cards and will be useful to both veteran or novice Tarot readers We're pleased to advise that Beatrice Culleton's exceptional novel IN SEARCH OF APRIL RAINTREE (Pemmican Publications) is back in print. Other interesting titles by Native American rawn are THE WOMAN WHO OWNED THE SHADOWS by Paula Gunn Allen(Spinsters Ink), THE SUN IS NOT MERCIFUL, short stories by Anna Lee Walters (Firebrand) and A GATHERING OF SPIRIT, edited by Beth Brant (Sinister Wisdom). The Women's Press provide an impressive selection of new books this season including DY(KE)VERSIONS: Lesbian Short Fiction, edited by the Lesbian Collective "... makes a significant contribution to the growing body of ne women's literature. Fifteen writers... craft an anthology that interprets the diversity and intricacies of lesbian lives. With joy and sensitivity the writers FIREWORKS: The Best of Fireweed, edited by Makeda Silvera, brings together highlights from the past eight years of Fireweed, provide finely honed and vibrant fiction that is both affirming and powerful". OUT OF BOUNDS, Women, Sport and Sexuality, by Helen Lenskyj ...examines the relationship between sport, and our concepts of women's femininity and sexuality during the last century... OUT OF BOUNDS provides a wontifful portrait of women and sports "d. ADVERSE EFFECTS: Women and the Pharmaceutical Industry, edited by Kathleen McDonnell /I ... this provocative anthology looks at such concerns as women, mood-modifiers and the elderly; hormone manipulation; DES; depo-provera; and drugs and population control. ADVERSE EFFECTS is an important expose that needs, to be read by all". To keep track of yourself next year we offer the 1987 EVERYWOMAN'S ALMANAC (this year the theme is Women, Physical Fitness and Sport) HERSTORY 1907, the Canadian Women's Calendar;, the WOMEN WRITERS DESK CALENDAR 47. These date books make wonderful afts as do the variety of Women's Notebooks. For your music loving friends how about Heather Bis hop or Connie Kaldor albums. Your younger friends will love Heather's BELLYBUTTON or PURPLE PEOPLE EATER. South Gillies author/illustrator Freda Kamstra Aedy's new book 'BIRD BITS will also be a favorite with youngsters. Come browse at the bookstore you may be tempted by a good selection of health theory and international books that are now on sale (10% -- 50% off). For out of town readers we remind you that the Northern Woman's Bookstore offers a mail order service. Happy reading: mew= OP 0101C COULD YOUR STORY HELP OTHER WOMEN99?229 CAMArdADVAMSTIONJIMCMCDSACTICKIJIMMI(MARAL) ASSOCIATION CANADUNINS MOON LS DOW A L'AVOSTOSUINT im.43A) Have you freed yourself from an addictive or self-destructive relationship? Canadian editor seeks personal growth stories from women who broke the bonds of such entanglements. Did you try to save or rescue an alcoholic or gambling or depressed The Purpose of CARAL Is to ensure that no woman In Canada Is denied access to safe, legal abortion. Our aim Is the repeal of all sections of the Criminal Codes dealing with abortion and the establishment of comprehensive contraceptive and abortion services, Including appropriate counselling across the country. "We regard the right to safe, legal abortion as a fundamental human right." mate? Your personal testimonial is needed for a forthcoming self-help I manual for women. support the etatementofpurpossotCARALandwielitobecornea msmbsr t'kar"e: Address: Postal Coda Occupation: Hanes of Federal Riding' Phony. Individual Member Limited Income Funny" Slain Sustaining Donation =IWO -I4UMD $150)0 RETURN TO: CARAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay,Ont. P7B 5G6 Have you struggled to break the habit of falling for needy or selfdestructive mates? Your advice and inspiration can help other women to break free of co-dependent relationships. Although your story may be used in this self-help publication, anonymity is assured. For questionnaire write to: POETRY 0' c), 44X/211--/ 0 gertlage 6;\\7 *° //M 030 available from the NORTHERN KSTOWOMAN'S BOORE 69 N, Court St. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Mail Registration No. 5697 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 Editorial/Your Voice p3 Family Law p4 Update p5 Shortstory p6 Employment Equity p7 Interview p10 Kwik/Printing pll Gert Beadle Honoured p12 Book Review p13 Games Page p15 Bill 7 p16 Bookstore News ***********************0:************ IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL?? PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ************************************* Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: Name Address (pestaloodo) 0 Individual d 5 0 institutional $10 RETURN '10: THE NORIITERN WCHAN 69 N. cam ST. WORKERS THIS ISSUE: Elaine Goodwin, Carolyn Greenwood, Mary-%nn Kleynendorst, Anna McColl, Karen Margaret Phillips, Rosemary Pittis, PatMaki, Wilson. THIMER BAY, CCITARIO P7A 4T7 ReturnPostage Guaranteed Northern Iiikenan Jountai 69 N. Court St., Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4T7 (FOUR ISSUES) $5.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 2 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No. 2 (November 1986) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Women & art Government funding for Thunder Bay Women’s Centre Women in history Family law reform Divorce Act Social Assistance Legislation Review Committee Hoshizaki House, Dryden ON Women’s International League for Peace and Justice C.A.R.A.L. Depo Provera Pay equality Abortion access Newfoundland Minimum wage Women & friendship short story Poetry Employment equity Gert Beadle awarded Order of Canada Resources Against Pornography Single parenthood Child sexual assault prevention Pink Triangle North Human rights code amendment (Bill 7) Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation Thunder Bay Women’s Bookstore Authors/contributors: Sasha McInnes Lynn Beak Pat Wilson Susan G. Collins Suelynn Rosalyn Taylor Myrna Holman Bonnie Agnew Lynn Hauta Joan Baril Elaine Goodwin Carolyn Greenwood Mary-Ann Kleynendorst Anna McColl Karen Maki Margaret Phillips Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1986-11 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2793/1987_Vol_10_No_3.pdf 476ffefb1bd14166178ef81f1fce048c PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal June 1987, Vol. 10 No. 3, Thunder Bay, Ontario $1.50 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DATELINE: KENORA by TERESA MALLAM David Ramsay, parliamentary assistant to Northern Development and Mines Minister, Premier David Peterson was in Kenora last month to announce a grant of $100,000 for Women's Place Kenora to purchase an existing building. The selected building will be used to house a telephone crisis service, counselling and meeting rooms, office space and programming for women's services. A ministry news release noted that Women's Place had been recognized in its role of helping "more than 500 women in crisis in the last ten years and serving over 20,000 people in the region". Following the grant announcement by Ramsay at Pinecrest Home for the Aged on March 12th, Charlotte Holm expressed the group's appreciation to the Premier and to Katie Heikkenen of the ministry's Thunder Bay office. She also expressed her sincere thanks to the Transition Houses, family resource centres and women's groups from all over Northwestern Ontario who supported the application for funding, as well as local organizations such as Kenora-Keewatin Business and Professional Women's Club and the Kenora Family Resource Centre. The funding was urgently needed in order that the organization simply survive said Holm. Beyond that, Women's Place will now be able to improve its services to area women and respond to unmet needs in the community. "Our organization is very much accustomed to dealing with poverty, and we think we do that very well" she said in response to the ministry's announcement. "But we are less accustomed to prosperity and news of this impending announcement has left us somewhat stunned and glassy-eyed. There is a lot of apparently aimless rushing about ... however, we are confident of our ability to cope.." In addition, Holm gave thanks to the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council staff and members "who keep us well informed, supported and relatively sane". And a special note of appreciation went to Lisa Bengtsson, of Secretary of State Dept., Thunder Bay, "who keeps us focussed and is consistently helpful and supportive." had nothing to give. We recognize that our survival and our accompli ments are the result of a culmulat effort, and we want to assure thos people that their contribution is remembered - and valued." Women's Place hopes to reloca this summer. The organization has formed a committee who will invest gate real estate in the area. At d moment the group is busy comparing notes on several prospective build. ings. As well, in the search for neI premises, Holm said they will be looking for a building which could accommodate an extensive resource library on women's issues (the current collection is overflowing the shelves!) and provide revenue bearing suites for an ongoing source of income in future years. "Last, but not least, we want to thank our own members - those who have stayed with us through some very difficult times, and those newer members who bring energy, enthusiasm.and a fresh perspective. We also want to recognize and acknowledge the efforts of past members, Board members and staff who sometimes gave until they tiny apartment without enough money Unlike most right-wing groups to buy thedoes necessities of life. NAC not advocate only one kin -YES, of more childcare is available family. Indeed, the only sorts than before. since thousands familiesBUT... we consider unacceptable more. those mothersin ,areworking,outeide-the, which there-Ascploitatii home and many have to or support themviolence, abuse incest. selves and Have theirrecent children, the supply decades been comp of good child care spaces is more tely bleak for the women's movemen squeezed and inadequate ever. mile Of course not. But than for every Why after decades of fighting have come, there's an extra mile ti have we go. come such a little way? One reason is that the closer get to woi As Canada's most we important achieving real change, the greater en's organization, NAC plays a vit, the resistance we meet. Equal pay for role in doing research, public edu( Canadian still a long the samewomen work,are which meant little betion and lobbying on all issues of way from being equal men. cause women andtomen have very differcern to women. We are the united v< Consider this ent jobs, was... relatively easy to obof Canadian women. Our support is -YES, the wage gappay between men of andequal vatain. Equal for work ong and growing. In the last year women has much lue,dimished, which is BUT... essential to less break this lone our membership has risen from than people realize. a womvicious cycle, In is 1971, blocked or delayed 360 to 470 women's groups. an's earnings were 60% of man's. business almost everywhere bya strong I am writing to you today to In 1984, they were 65%, so that we opposition. you to help us continue to be a st1 have gained Also, only 5% thirteen have years. ourinsuccesses created voice for Canadian women. We speak On average, a woman with a university a backlash. Now we see right-wing gromillions of women from all parts of degreeups still earns less than a man unashamedly spreading lies about the country. Please add your voice with a the highwomen's school movement diploma. and our group. ours. -YES, Most we have succeeded outrageous is in thehaving lie that the Your cheque for $30, $50, $10C laws changed throughout Canada National Action Committee to on enthe Staor whatever you wish to send is ess sure a tus fairer sharing of assets betof Women (NAC) is "anti-housewifes" tial ween spouses on divorce. BUT ... most "anti-motherhood", and "anti-family". Please help us continue to sps divorcing people ownalways very little, NAC has insistedand that our out for Canadian women. Your suppor the trend is for support payments is our strength. Please mail your d society should recognize thetocrucial be smaller and smaller and last for ation today. role of the family - and women's masthree years at most. Withasclose to homemakers sive contribution wives, Louise Dulude half ofand newmothers. marriages to end We expected have always supported President in divorce, the -likelihood of a young measures such as pensions for homeNAC bride becoming poverty-stricken sinmakers - athat would give housewives 344 Bloor St, gle parent is skyrocketing. the respect and financial security Suite 505, -YES;: they minimum pensions have been raideserve. Toronto, M5S 1W' sed with every recent federal elec- of motWe have fought on behalf tion thanks to feminists and other The Northern Woman Journal Collect hers and pregnant women - defending concerned citizens. BUT ... Canada's apologizes for the long delay bet., their right to generous maternity lepopulation is aging very fast, and issues. Moving to our new locatiol ave and benefits, higher family allowmost ofances, the very old are widows with took priority over publishing., We quality day care, and protectincome ion below the poverty line. As it want to make up for lost time and against reporoductive hazards in is, a woman who spent her life as a get the next issue out very soon. the workplace. And we support the middle-class housewife is almost cerContributors please note deadline right to choose whether or not to have tain of ending her copy for next issue is July 10/87. children, and days when.alone in a I PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Carolyn Greenwood This article is titled Rebirth because of the feelings we all have since centre has moved to her new space. When City funding was withdrawn, I think the general feeling was one of gloom. Even though we didn't really expect Council to do the unexpected and stand up to the pressure from various groups, the finality of the averted faces and not even bothering to explain was a setback. Or seemed to be at the time. The reality, once the smoke cleared, was a feeling of elation. Hence Rebirth. Bpcause our funding was withdrawn we no longer have paid staff, but, many women have stepped in with incredible energy. The feeling i$ "This is OUR centre ", and it is. Eqeryone is putting in long hours with the sense of working for ourselves. With the Court Street building sold, Centre has moved just down the street to 184 Camelot. Our new home is on the corner of Camelot and Water Streets across from the Bus Terminal. The storefront is divided into three sections: the Northern Woman's Bookstore, Northern Woman Journal and, of course, Northern Women's Centre. smoking' lounge, and There is a kitchen area along with a large common room used as a work area, social space, and resource library. There is some parking at the side of the building. We have a large, bright space to work from. The move from old to new was accomplished (in hindsight) with a minimum of fuss and bother. The majority of the organization and guidance came from Karen Maki, who pulled it off with ease and her usual panache. She was not alone though. Many women came out to help when they REBIRTH could. Evenings or weekends. There was the excitement of shared woman energy. This feeling was carried through to the construction that had to be undertaken at our new home. There was quite a bit of work that had to be done. The majority of the space was open and had to be divided. Particularly to separate the bookstore from the main area. Enter several builders extraordinaire. A wall was built complete with door. This seemingly humugus task was finished in what seemed like a remarkable speed. Everyone did a wonderful job. It looks great! Much work is being done internally at centre as well. Our Resource Library has been reorganized and material is available to members, researchers and students for a period of three weeks. Journal space is now separate, I'm sure to everyone's relief (we can be rather messy during the layout stage). Centre is having regular meetings on the first Tuesday of every month. Also, regular meetings are being held to form and record policy. A mammoth task. The first meeting came up with a mission statement as follows: The Northern Women's Centre is a meeting place that provides a strong feminist voice for women in Northwestern Ontario. To achieve this the centre will: 1. Focus on feminist resources, interests and energies. 2. Promote community awareness of Northwestern Ontario women's concerns. 3. Lobby on feminist issues. Serious issues have been discussed at the many meetings held so far and will continue. We are concentrating less on social service and more on our own needs as feminists. Policy meetings are open to any woman who wishes to take part in the future growth of centre. If you wish to take part all meetings and announcements are posted as the centre. Our policies will continue to grow with us. Centre has also received another boost of energy'in the form of a grant to host, plan and organize an Ontario Women's Centre conference in September, in Thunder Bay. Our goals are to examine issues of survival for Women's Centres, to develop support system and communication network, to look at the future needs and issues, what the future of women's centres may be and to deal with the institutionalization of women's issues. Karen will be coordinating this event. Much work has been done already and we are all looking forward to this exciting event. We realize that we have much work to do but are entering into an energizing new time in our lives and the life of Women's Centre, We can look back at the work we have done so far and rejoice and look forward to the work we have yet to do. Solstice Celebration Sat June 20 . , i i /1 - ??? 8:30 , I PORT ARTHUR PROSVITA SOCIETY HALL 540 South High Street. 7'*i42.142, 1.13°5c. ol ,txAv, $5.00 AT THE DOOR FOR WOMEN ONLY For more information contact the Women's Centre at 345.7802. NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A Collage of Barriers Addtms by Leni Untinen, NWO Women'4 Decade Councit, to the Nipizzing Ttanzition Howse WO_ kmautt Conietence Panet 'How Society Haz FaLeed , The Abus ed Woman' I have been asked here today to address the situation of northern, rural and isolated women. I have some problem in doing this because, although I live in a rural municipality, I work in Thunder Bay and do not feel particularly rural. Being part of a women's network, I don't feel isolated. And, until I started going to Toronto as part of the Battered Women's Movement, I never considered myself northern. However, I am part of the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council Violence Subcommittee and certainly many of our constituency fits the categories of northern, rural and isolated. I will try to speak to their needs and their frustrations in accessing a system that attempts to provide safety and protection from battering and purports to offer alternatives to victims. I want to speak for Agnes. Agnes lives in a rural farming township in Northwestern Ontario. She is a farmer's wife, the mother of 10 children. Her shopping is done at the village store and she travels to a small town 30 miles away for business that canaut be transacted in the village. The only trip in her life to the city was for medical reasons. Her academic education is minimal; her skills are. related to home and farm. Her limited socializing is attached to the church and to the Legion of whichhher husband is a member. Agnes is a strong woman. Her future is on the farm. The future of her sons is on the family farm. The future of her daughters is as wives of farmers in the same community. Battering is not foreign to Agnes. It is a part of life when things are bad. Things are bad a lot on the farm. The idea of a transition house is foreign to Agnes. The thought of life without the farm, without the man, is foreign to Agnes. I want to speak for Dorothy. Dorothy was battered periodically for 23 years. When her last child had grown and left home, and after a beating by her husband, she fled her home and community to the city 200 miles away. Within days, she had a job, though minimally paid, and a shared apartment. Then the letters came. From her husband, an executive, pleading with her to come back. It looked bad for him at work and he couldn't understand why she had done this to him. From her children, weekly reports on how lonely and sorry dad was, and telling her how they worried about her. From the minister of her church 6 in all - telling her what a good provider and father her husband had been, reminding her of her responsibility to her husband and her family, in the eyes of God. NORTHERN WOMAN But Dorothy was strong and other than being lonely, life was good. She would share the letters and ask for support in her decision from the women that she sought help from originally and now called her friends. At Christmas Dorothy's family begged her to be with them for the day. And she wanted to go. The idea of not beingwith them at Christmas hurt. What hurt more was that her family, her church and her neighbours saw her as the "bad one", "the deserter". She told us she felt strong enough to go home, to make them all understand, and to have them stop worrying about her. She was fine and happy. Dorothy never came back from that visit. I saw her a year later at a women's conference, and I asked her how she was doing. She said that things weren't good, but that she was surviving. She also said she would not try again. She had failed in her attempt to leave. In leaving, she had failed her role as wife and mother and she had failed her faith. Dorothy is still surviving in her home. She is still periodically beaten. Helena is the daughter of a company family, wife of a company man, in a company house, in a company town. When she tried to leave her battering husband, the company said there was no other housing available to her. As a separated woman, she was no longer a company asset. With no other house in town, and not wanting to leave her community and the rest of her family, her only support, she stays. Her company husband continues to beat her, her company family attempts to console her and to hide the truth from the company. It is difficult to speak for the battered native woman. They need and want to speak for themselves. While we share in their pain, their lifestyles, their culture and their traditions hold their own uniqueness and their own barriers. However, they have told us of how traditions of the family that are the basis of their strength and pride are also their prison when they fall victim to an abusive partner. We have learned that pressing assault charges on a Reserve (policed by special constables, often connected by family or fraternal relationships with males on the Reserve) ranges from difficult to impossible. In remote areas, if somehow charges do get to court, the whole village and beyond attend as this is their opportunity to visit. It is viewed as the only game in town. The entire village witnesses the shame of the relationship. They tell us - in a community where all homes are owned by the Band Council - that housing opportunities are non-existent if the Council has chosen to be supportive of the male who is often affirmed as having the right to control his family. They have told us of the heartache when choosing between fleeing for their saftey or their life and having to leave their children who are viewed as the children of the extended family, children of the community. Many times if they choose to walk, they walk alone. Mostly, they have told us how leaving their home, their family, their world, shakes the very foundation of their spirituality. Many times, the native women find themselves in a new and frightening environment. An environment without support, without adequate funds, and surrounded by a chaos that is confusing. They now walk in a culture that claims to have done away with discrimination, that claims to be compassionate and caring, and claims to be effective. The task of going to a shopping mall to purchase underwear for her children is frightening for a woman from a small, isolated, northern Reserve. The task of meeting with white social workers, white lawyers and white Crown Attorneys is frightening. Suddenly, the woman may be given more money than she may ever have been in charge of, only to find that adequate housing may cost more than half of it. From the rest, she will pay high installation and operating costs for telephone and utilities; transportation costs around the large city to the places she must go and scrimp to buy groceries from shelves that are loaded with abundant choices. She can become more than a little discouraged. Battered women from rural, isolated and northern communities face a collage of barriers, each heaped one upon the other. This is a land bearing a male image - of miner, of logger, of trucker, of labourer. Hard working, hard talking and often hard drinking. It is a strong and physical image, of males in charge, in control of life, his family, and the little woman. There is no room in the dream of the north for the reality of a strike or mine or mill closure; for the despondent unemployed male; for the chaos that racks the entire community when a town busts and the dream is not a reality. There are very few services to handle the stress or to deal with the dilemma of families in personal crisis in small northern towns. page 4 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �We need more subsidized housing and second-stage housing for the women leaving our houses in every community in the north. We need social assistance raised to an adequate level to reflect the real needs and costs experienced by battered women and their families. We need the public to understand and support the battered woman, the separated woman, the woman on welfare. We need more jobs, paying equal pay for work of equal value. We need more afforable child care to give working woman a fighting chance. There is no room in a boom town for a separated parent with children needing housing, when accommodation is a premium and prices are skyrocketing. There is little truth to the promise of confidentiality in a community of 4000 with a transition house, where everyone knows what kind of car everyone else drives and where children arrive at the same school but walking from a different direction. There is little protection for a woman living on a country road, 5 or 10 miles from her nearest neighbour, in an area served by 4 or 5 OPP officers covering over 100 miles of highway and a web of back roads. Or for a woman living in a town or village where the community is unable to financially support A police detachment around the clock. There is little encouragement for women from small neighbouring municipalities' Who to larger - centres and will possibly end up on their welfare roles, which are already experiencing constraints. There is little chance for a mother of 5 or 6 children when there are only 40, 4 or 5 bedroom subsidized units in a city of 110,000, and nonsubsidized housing of that size costs $450 - $650 per month. There is little opportunity for a mother of 3, working for minimum wage in the many clerical or service industry jobs that are filled primarily by women. There is little hope for a separated and independent woman to break into the higher paid non-traditional occupations in communities where unemployment is above the national average, where males are viewed as the primary labour force which must be employed, and where youth is targeted for make-work projects. BATTERING IS A BRUTAL DEMONSTRATION OF POWER. PHYSICAL POWER, FINANCIAL POWER, We continue to press for more services. We need our existing transition houses and family resource centres. As women in communities without services work toward establishing new shelters, we will support their efforts. The houses have truly been for many women their only protection and life-line. Unfortunately, we will never have transition houses'in the over 450 organized and unorganized communities in Northern Ontario. There will always be gaps. All our needs will take a lot of money, and that will take a lot of time. But if I asked Agnes, or Dorothy, or Helena what they want right now, I am sure that they would echo what the majority of the women we have worked with would ask. MAKE HIM STOP! And for that we need a concentrated effort on education, directed at this adult generation and the next. We need to start in our school system, teaching young people (from the wee ones up) that violence directed at another individual is unacceptable. MAKE HIM STOP We need to teach children to verbalize and to negotiate their problems and their needs. Teach them to ask for support and to support others who need help. We need to teach young men to respect themselves and others and particularly to respect the differences between themselves and young women. We need to teach young women that good relationships are not based on dependency. That the possibility of being financially responsible for themselves and their families is very real, and that they should be prepared personally and through education and skill development for that possibility. Battering is a brutal demonstration of power. Physical power. The stronger individual controlling another by brute force. Financial power. We will have little chance to support our families should that necessity be forced on us as long as we continue to be financially dependent, earning 65% of male wages, viewing ourselves and being viewed as a secondary labour force, filling traditionally low-paid, female job ghettos in clerical and service positions. It is an issue of socialized power, handed down through the centuries; entrenched in attitudes too long gone unchallenged. Supported at first by inadequate laws and presently by inadequate interpretation or enforcement of the laws. AT THIS MOMENT, SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN ONTARIO THERE ARE WOMEN BEING BATTERED We are trying,to turn that socialization around. Broadcasting messages once a day at best, speaking to community groups, classes and conferences whenever we can, forcing the the issue before the press and into women's magazines. And while we labour, another country or rock song hits the air waves reinforcing the traditional male role and undervaluing women's worth. Another million violent war or space toys are produced, and another million pornography roll off the presses. And magazines esrole do I think we use the power that we can access effectively. The collective power of women and community groups speaking out against violence, lobbying for change, and supplying the kind of protection transition houses afford. We must use the power within the law to demonstrate that assault is a crime. Batterers must be made to understand that a criminal act involves a social and public consequence. Men are used to power. Men respect power. The power that they respect must carry the message that violence against women is unacceptable. You will remember that it was only a few short years ago that men who were perceived to be leaders and have political power saw the situation of battered women as humourous. They have feverishly tried to make amends for that insult to women, pouring millions of dollars and resources into prevention and support systems for battered women. It is not enough. We need their voices. Not only an apology and support to women, but man to man and men to men that battering is not condoned and that men will use their power to stop it. We need the voices of industry, employers and union leaders reiterating that the degradation of women and boasts of physical control and punishment of their female partners is not considered appropriate or heroic lunch room conversation. The message must go out across this country that "real men" don't beat women. IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS THE BARRIERS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE OURSELVES AS FAILING IN HELPING Simplistic in its approach, this is the type of public education that batterers, steeped in years of stereotyping and attitudes, will understand. There are many women that we, as a society, have failed. At this moment, somewhere in Northern Ontario there are women being battered. There are many women trying to recover from violence, trying to understand, trying to cope, trapped in situations which they see no answer to. But we need to hope that we will succeed. continued P6 NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �I want to tell you about Carol. Carol's referral to a transition house came from the manager of her husband's company. They want her to be safe. They want her to choose the direction of her life, independent of the fact that they have referred her husband to a mental health worker, and are allowing paid time for his appointments. I want to tell you about Jean. Jean called a transition house terrorized, desperate - with no money, needing to flee a small town. When the shelter worker went to arrange the pre-paid bus ticket, the agent by-passed the agent and the station in the woman's town and arranged with a trusted driver to pick up Jean, who never believed until she reached the transition house 60 miles away that she would escape alive. A system of caring people is beginning to work. I want to tell you about Marion. Marion arrived at the transition house from n distant Reserve. Beaten for years, without money or resour- fall. Marion is never going to be beaten again. She says so every th There is hope. There are messages in this pi sentation. It is not that we have work harder to support victims. It is that battered women are facing barriers and if we do not address the barriers we will continue to ourselves as failing in helping. l message is also that power is not ways bad. It is how it is used the can make it bad. Battered women ai strong; they have survived incredible circumstances. They need to I empowered to take control of their ces, she brought five children, one of whom was handicapped and required special education. Marion is receiving social assistance. She has a subsidized unit in a new complex across from a recreation centre. Her special child is enrolled in the necessary school. Her other children are involved in all sorts of groups, sports and recreational activities. Marion is active in the native community in her new city and is going to take some college classes this lives. Each time we, as women, leant new skill or new knowledge, each time we access new resources, eacl time we feel the strength of shari in a collective effort, we become more powerful. Each barrier we tal down for ourselves, we take down our sisters. Each time we celebrat our strength in unison, we give si ength to other women. Each time w( feel hope, we give hope. Keep on keeping on. I A Collection of Films Dealing with Women's Well-Being THE WOMEN'S BODY POLITIC D.E.S.: An Uncertain Legacy 55 min. 1985 Between 1941 and 1971, a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol or D.E.S., was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. This practice resulted in numerous cases of reproductive and genital abnormalities. This film looks at the development, marketing and medical consequences of D.E.S. The Best Time of My Life: Portraits of Women in Mid-life 58 min. 1985 Reflecting a wide range of income levels, lifestyles, careers and backgrounds, ten women in their middle years share their experiences of menopause. Is It Hot In Here? A Film About Menopause 36 min. 1986 Turnaround: A Story of Recovery 47 min. 1984 Five women were brought together by a common illness - all had a dependence on alcohol, prescription medication, street learning to face painful truths. The Recovery Series Related to Turnaround: A Story of Recovery, this series of four films focusses on individual women who are recovering from drug or alcohol dependency. Debby and Sharon 15 min. 1985 Recovering alcoholics, two sisters talk about their battle to shake alcohol and drug addiction. A factor contributing to their menopause. This film is an informative and sometimes humorous look at contemporary social attitudes, symptoms and treatments relating to menopause. their Native Indian culture. 1984 Delia 12 min. 1985 Delia spent years counselling women to confront their alcoholism and drug addiction while ignoring her own alcoholism. Fi- nally she quit her job and sought the Of the estimated 30 to 50 million induced abortions performed annually, more than half are illegal, and an estimated 84,000 of treatment that enabled her to gradually build a new life for herself and her son. them result in death. Filmed in Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Colombia and Canada, this film is a survey of the reali- Lorri ties of abortion. support services victims need to rebuild their lives. drugs, or a combination of these. Living in sense of self-worth and helping to maintain their sobriety is a renewed commitment to 55 min. A series of three films that deal with the nature and scope of woman-battering and the Aurora House, a residential treatment centre in Vancouver, these women are One of the least understood and most universal of women's experiences is Abortion: Stories from North and South The Next Step 14 min. 28 min. 1985 Sylvie recreates her experience as a battered woman seeking help at a Montreal transition house. This film emphasizes the importance of women speaking out and points out the role of the transition house as a safe place for sharing experiences, ob- taining support and counselling. A Safe Distance 28 min 1985 Filmed in Thompson and Portage La Prairie in Manitoba, and West Bay Reserve in Ontario, the film looks at providing 1985 Humiliated by her inability to control her drinking, and feeling confused and suicidal, Lorri committed herself to a psychiatric ward of a hospital, where she recovered. shelter and services for battered women in rural, northern, and native communities. Moving On 28 min. 1985 A co-ordinated effort by police, lawyers, Ruth 14 min. Sylvie's Story 1985 At 14 years of age and in search of an escape from painful memories of childhood physical, mental and sexual abuse, and prostitution, Ruth turned to alcohol and doctors and social workers has resulted in an effective response to woman-battering in London, Ontario. Services for victims and therapy for offenders are part of this city's attempt to break the cycle of violence. drugs. After 18 years of addiction she joined Alcoholics Anonymous. These films are available for free loan in Spirit of the Kata 28 min. 16 mm from all National Film Board offices in Canada. Video rental, in VHS format, will 1985 Five women, all black belts of world-class calibre, discuss how an ancient martial art has transformed their lives. i> National Film Board of Canada Office national du film du Canada also be available from NFB offices as of March, 1987. For more information, contact the NFB office closest to you. NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney: (902) 564.7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook: (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown: (902) 892-6612 - Montreal: (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec: (418) 648-3176 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn: (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-4915 - Trois-Rivieres: (819) 375-5714 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawe: (613) 996-4863 - Hamilton: (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-2771 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472.4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 949-4129 - Regina: (306) 780-5012 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 Calgary: (403) 292-5338 - Edmonton: (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver: (604) 666-0718 - Prince George: (604) 564-5657 - Victoria: (604) 388-3869 NORTHERN WOMAN page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �es Women on the Move could be considered our theme this winter, as Women's Centre, the Journal and the Northern Woman's Bookstore have all re-located to 184 Camelot St., just two blocks from our former quarters. We're now at the corner of Camelot and Water Sts., just opposite the Bus Depot, with a nice view of the Lake. The new space is great and thanks to everyone who helped move, renovate, decorate, etc. --- but especially thanks to Rose and Mary Ann whose carpentry skills are much appreciated. A celebratory opening will be held in the near future. Decade Council also has a new home, at 905 Tungsten St. (corner of 10th St.) Decade's new phone number is 623-7556. And the Immigrant Women's Centre also has new quarters. You can find them at 217 Van Norman St. Can you imagine getting a phone call telling you that you will receive $100,000 -- yes, $100,000 -from the provincial government? Well it happened toWomen's Place Kenora. We understand they are still in shock Anyway, we think it is great - and there is no group in the country that deserves it more! (see article this issue for details) o Women's Health Information Network has had an active spring. WHIN has received funding for their Sharing The Information Skills (SIS) project. A mini-conference was recently held in Nipigon, and future conferences are planned for Kenora and Marathon. Board development is also planned as part of the project. WHIN says "Wdcare at a stage in which the board wants to grow and increase its skills. Since two of our board members have recently left, there are a few openings of the board. If you are interested in joining a dynamic group of women and interested in women's health issues...let us know. WHIN's board is a regional board looking for more regional representation:' The Health Network also hopes to prepare a booklet to Assist Women Who Must Travel Out Of Their Own Com-. munity To Give Birth. If you would like to share your story regarding this issue please write WHIN, 8A N. Cumberland St., Thunder Bay, P7A 4L1. Locally WHIN sponsored D.E.S. Awareness Week with comprehensive media coverage and the distribution of an information package to many health care professionals. D.E.S. Awareness week was very important in focussing attention to this urgent issue. "We've had over a dozen responses from across the area" Heather Woodbeck stated. "We've established for certain that D.E.S. was used in several communities. People have described to us classic symptoms that read like a pamphlet." D.E.S. Awareness week, which was held across the country, coordinated by D.E.S. Action Canada, is necessary as thousands of Canadian men and women between ages 16 and 46 still may not know that they were exposed to the drug. D.E.S. (diethylstilbestrol), a synthetic hormone, was supposed to help women with a previous history of miscarriage, carry their babies to term. The drug was used around the world, in Canada between 1941 and 1971. It has been estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 Canadian women were given the drug. When D.E.S. first appeared on the market, it was touted as a wonder drug. Both doctors and expectant mothers used the drug in good faith. The story of D.E.S. does point to the larger issues related to the pharmaceutical industry and drug approval in general. Although early studies did link D.E.S. to cancer in laboratory animals, testing during the 1950s indicated that it had no measurable effect on carrying babies to term; the drug remained available until a direct link to human cancer was made. Even then, D.E.S. was only banned for use by pregnant women. D.E.S. is still used as a Morning After Pill and as a treatment for various types of cancer. Although the drug is now rarely used at all in Canada, it continues to enjoy widespread use in under-developed countries. For those who were directly exposed to D.E.S. while in utero, the effects range from the benign to the severe. These complications tend to concentrate around the reproductive organs. Daughters may develop a variety of uterine and cervical abnormalities. Most of these are benign, although they result in significantly higher rate of fertility problems and miscarriages than those faced by unexposed women. The most dangerous among these problems is the greater risk of ectopic pregnacies. A rare form of vaginal cancer has also been linked to D.E.S. exposure. Sons are also more prone to benign cysts and abnormalities, as well as fertility problems. The high incidence of such complications has prompted D.E.S. Action to produce a Fertility Guide for children exposed to D.E.S. Finally, the women themselves who took D.E.S. run a higher risk of developing breast cancer in their later years. Many of these complications will respond to treatment, particularly if caught early and understood to be related to D.E.S. exposure. What should you do if you believe you have been exposed to D.E. S. Daughters need the special D.E.S. examiniation. Contact the Obstetrics and Gynecology department of the nearest hospital or D.E.S. Action Canada for a referral. Sons should see a urologist if they have problems. Mothers should tell their children so they can get the medical care they need. They should also take care of their own health by examining their breasts every month and getting a professional breast exam once a year. Contact WHIN for more information. Imo Still on health concerns a new national organization Dalkon Shield Action Canada has been formed. This organization provides information and support to the victims of the Dalkon Shield. They publish a newsletter and maintain a national registry of lawyers with experience in Dalkon Shield cases. For more information contact Dalkon Shield Action Canada, c/o VancouVer Women's Health Collective, 888 Burrand St., Vancouver, V6Z 1X9. As they say in the business, "There's a pill for every ill!" Other useful information from Women's Health Interaction. The Report to the Health Protection Branch of the Regional Meetings on Fertility Control which received many briefs on Depo Provera has reported at last. Regional meetings were organized in response to pressure from groups across the country, although advocacy groups had demanded open public hearings prior to the approval of Depo Provera. The major difficulty with the report is that it did not propose clear cut recommendations on the use of Depo. Groups like Women's Health Interaction are concerned because there haven't been open hearings and so consumers have not had a chance to express their concerns about the drug. We understand the government plans to decide on the future of Depo without holding open public hearings. You can help by writing your MP or the Minister of Health and Welfare Jake Epp and asking for open public hearings. If you want to be involved or receive more information contact: Madeline Boscoe, 304-414 Graham Ave., Winnipeg, R3C OL8. WHI also reports that the drug Flagyl contains metronidazole. As early as 1983 warnings were issued that metronidazole had caused cancer in test animals. Yet the drug has not been banned. Flagyl is prescribed for vaginal infections caused by trichomonas. Extreme care must be taken that Flagyl is used only when the infection is proven to be caused by trichomonas and not by the more common yeast infection. Even then it is questionable that the benefits out- weigh the risks of using Flagyl. moo A woman's group and legal fund are using the Charter of Rights to challenge the Ontario government in court, over the exclusion of domestic workers from the Employment Standards Act. continued on P12 NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �POETRY Amazon 1. Visions o4 cambAic in autumn winds II. The drape p4 the dress canezz bteasts thighs sighs III Mesmerized I state at the speaking stone Those ate the wands I atways wanted to say Don't make me your Because then I hav Festiva. Women IV° And make it worth I Sings of Love and Wendship voyages 14 I don't have to ate the rhythm o4 peace viAtue You won't 6ind me the beat o4 a cottective drum bwtni.ng ambZems A You want me to be tesonant in the suntight the sound o6 a guitar stAum You say, and I bet V. Bound to het 4athet's speait Though the e44ott AdmiAation gows thtough she was hunted To Learn and be an every tytic o4 evety song actoss tiveAs and oceans I know you can hav sunvivat Ls the theme in a won.Ld with 40 much wrong Arc tow sttaight You can choose and to another shote But don't makeime Don't ctippte my L Festiva . women zing a woman' - song cetebtating each other VI. I'm not sttong eno Without sisteitis But maybe Lave is the iabtic wither Sometimes to bting us togethet We can hotd hands. VII. We are ate axcheAs Rosalyn Taytot Antemis S. Batty Btidgetown, N.S. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Change Ls oppoAtunity, titez o6 pazzage bon the zhaping oi a sout. I had nothing back, not even time bon I have caught the thythm in my teeth that maven me into each new metamotphoziz. I have used up the meaningz o6 each note az a ptepatation bon the next change. Yet att my ti 6e hays been in chnyzaW I have on!y changed within the cacoon o6 mantz dezites bon hiz own ptopetty. The totez were tAaditionat az womeniz ate to be evetything bon evetyone on catt within the 6amity patameteAz. There are things that one mutt do zometimez nature demands it, yout zpitit obeys you have no choice, the chAyzaUs thtows you out o6 .its cocoon and Lc, you have wings. You ate both mote vanetabZe and zttonget Pitta Az oi pliendzhip: Thee one things to do and you must do them Keeping the earth in ptace, things to zee and you mutt zee them Holding up the zky. tiez to bteak and you must bteak them Waz I att thoze things that nev etc. ending Suzan Cott it October 1986 cycte (16 zetgezzners, My crane zet6 manvetZ This 6inat change to the ezzentiat me Who Aemainz a vitgin becauze thete iz a parr t (16 me untouched by mat.e. petzuazion. Tkiz the sum ob my changes, my wings ate boded, I zpecutate on a ceasing citae Get Beadte on bon tiuing give you a ti6e time my ..41r. %IP. v. MO, "We 410110 4111P 111/~ 114 .111P 11131. you appointment. .eopt "pp. Ar - "41P "111/ or_ 411P,Ip. .A114;;..---. can it be mine v. i6e NORTHERN WOMAN me choose to zhake it page 9 keazon 6ot tiving ith gout needing me. at both o6 uz Cott ins ?belt 1986 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DAY CARE NEWS By MARGARET PHILLIPS Lots happening on the day care scene -- unfortunately not all of it is positive. First the good news. The Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum re-convened April 24/25, bringing together day care parents, workers and advocates from across the region. This was a high energy weekend with delegates sharing information and planning strategy for the next six months. Northwestern Ontario day care people are determined that our day care services are going to survive and grow. Efforts will focus on pressing the provincial government to provide direct grants to all nonprofit day care centres to ensure that quality services are maintained and parent fees kept affordable. Another positive development is that day care is a high priority with the Ontario Federation of Labour. The O.F.L., in conjunction with the Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care, has been holding forums across the province, from which they will develop recommendations they will make to the Ontario government. Forums were recently held in Dryden and Thunder Bay, and again day care people presented briefs explaining Northwestern Ontario concerns: the crisis experienced because of the elimination of the long held Liberal policy of support to the non-profit sector). Government funding of the commercial sector could set day care in Ontario back years. While the commercial issue has not been a significant factor in Northwestern Ontario - as less than 3% of our day care is commercial - we do NOT want it to become a factor in this region. Thus, we must add our voice to provincial and national advocacy groups to oppose any provision of public dollars to forprofit day care. All evidence points out that in commercial centres quality and standards - not to mention staff wages and working conditions are inferior to non-profit care. In Alberta, where commercial care dominates, horror stories abound. We don't want this to happen in Ontario. Children are not a commodity from which profit should be made: (for more detailed discussion of this issue see insert below.) A video tape on this issue has been produced by the Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care which is an excellent information vehicle which groups could use to raise awareness in their communities. To rent/borrow this video contact N.W.O. Regional Day Care Committee, Box 144, Thunder Bay, P7C 4V5 (leave message at 3457802). the indirect subsi =dy; the need for , On the federal scene day care problems accelerate. The long-awaited report of the Special Committee on Child Care was released the end of March and, - as was feared - their recommendations will do nothing to produce the comprehensive day care system needed in Canada. The Special Committee report it should be noted - is a report of the Conservative members of the committee, the N.D.P. and Liberal com- secure funding; the desire for a comprehensive system to meet all families needs; and our opposition to commercial day-care. Commercial day care has become one more issue that day care advocates have to address. Earlier this winter the Hon. John Sweeney, Minister of Community and Social Services, indicated that he is considering providing direct grants to for-profit day care centres (which contradicts es',411.,EffraCARaEditI-P 0 mittee members each having produced a minority report. The Conservative recommendations focus on tax measures for individual taxpayers (assuming this tax break will help parents purchase day care in the marketplace) - ignoring the reality that quality, licensed day care services are available to scarcely 10% of the families that need them. Most of the $600 million funding recommendations would be directed to these tax measures. In fact, barely 13% of the suggested spending would go to operational and capital grants to non-profit day care. Further, the report ignores the link between equality for women and day care. As a Toronto Star editorial (March 31/87) nointS out "In Canadian society today, the paramount barrier to the achievement of equality by women is the unavailability of day care for their children ... Unfortunately, that issue was scarcely recognized by the special parliamentary committee on child care in its 160 page report tabled yesterday. By trying to be all things to all people, the Progressive Conservative majority on the committee proposes scattering $600 million of the federal government's scarce resources so thinly as to be utterly ineffective in solving the basic problem, which is an acute shortage of day care spaces. ... By ..OPPOS ; DIRECT GRANT Over the past decade, childcare advocates, women's, religious, and voluntary organizations, labour groups and many others have developed a consensus around a future direction for childcare in Canada. ,:.-7$777e7774""ecir7a7I ion family must ' system which ,ensures :occessobst,WITtz,,,:affordability,'par.enfal onvi)14.7ielifVeviiie;'"Virectic,W1'dOOd y Ara DIRECT GRANT . S FROM FEES & SLIISIDIES FOR FOE CHIED CHB: CARE CARE PROFIT FOR-PROFIT DAYCARE NON-PROFIT DAYCARE In a non-profit program, all income - from parents' fees and public funds - is used for childcare. sponsorship adequate Wages and working In a for-profit program, a portion of income - from parents' fees and public funds - 6;;;;aiiic;g1tk!Qtfe' goes to the owners, and is lost to childcare. - - ett ;VIA.; Ibme Economics Many of those who have advocated for high quality childcare believe that public funds should not be used to support for-profit childcare. WHY? WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? Profits can be increased by reducing salaries and operating expenditures. Salaries in foi.-profit centres are an average of 30% less than those in non-profit childcare programs. Even with a direct grant, in a for-profit program, less money would be spent on the child core program, and salaries would still be considerably lower than salaries in a non-profit program. THIS IS A POOR USE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS AND POOR PUBLIC POLICY. How does a for-profit sector affect the quality of childcare? All evidence indicates that the for-profit sector is much less likely to provide high quality core, and much more likely to provide poor care than the non-profit sector. The for-profit sector, in Canada. and in other countries, has actively worked to reduce childcare standards, and has lobbied against improvements in regulations and financial accountability. Improved public funding for for-profit childcare, particularly in the form of capital or direct grants, will allow the for.prolit childcare sector to eupond to dominate the field and determine the quality of care. In Alberta, this has resulted in on erosion of childcore standards. What can you do? I Oppose any federal or provincial moves to improve public funding to for.profit childcare owners 2 Phone, write, or visit your federal and provincial Members of Parliament or provincial legislature 3 Contact your provincial Minister in charge of childcare and the federal Minister of Health and Welfare 4 Ask other individuals and organizations to do the same THE CARE WHICH CHILDREN RECEIVE IN THEIR EARLY YEARS, IN THE FAMILY AND IN ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS, IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. CANADA NOW STANDS AT A WATERSHED IN THE Am. DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY WHICH WILL OFFER FAMILIES A RANGE OF OPTIONS TO HELP THEM COMPARISON OF NON-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT CENTRES FOR-PROFIT MN NON-PROFIT =Z5i9 NORTHERN WOMAN some size same fees PROVIDE THIS CARE. LET'S BEGIN TO BUILD THE SERVICES WHICH WILL DO THE BEST JOB, AND MANE THE BEST USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ... ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY, AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT CHILDCARE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Notional Action Committee on the Status of Women Conadion Day Care Advocacy Associotion Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care 416-922.3246 613-594-31;5 416-535-41S8 page 10 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �HERizons Laid to Rest HERizons' distributor serviced the "upscale" bookstores across the country. It's a wide distribtion HERizons has suspended publicabut narrow and in many centres tion. The last issue came out in the magazine was never available to March. the general public. HERizons started out in WinniNowhere was this more noticeapeg as a newsheet staffed by volunble than when HERizons did a lead teers, a typical feminist alternacover article on Thunder Bay rock But five years ago tive newspaper. star Lauri Conger of the group "Parwhen it went national and moved to achute Club." a glossy format it made an immediate Conger is extremely popular in impact. At the time it seemed everyher home town. People line up for one was getting a subscription. It her autograph whenever she comes was praised, not only for its proIt should follow home for a visit. fessional polish but for its up-tothat a magazine with her picture the-issue content. on its cover could expect huge However from the beginning HERnewsstand sales in Thunder Bay. Yet, izons had two disabilities to overexcept for the Women's Bookstore, come. First it was Canadian, one ofnot one issue of HERizons could be the few Canadians braving the massfound on any display rack or in any market publication ocean--an oceanbookstore in Thunder Bay. owned and operated by American products. It is a sad but true fact that 95% of the money spent op magazines in Canada goes to American publications. A quick glance at any news stand will tell the tale. The major magazine distributors, the ones who stock your local supermarket, the corner newsstand and the mall book chains, give priority to American publications with the exception of our two tokens--Maclean's and Chatelaine. Other mass market Canadian magazines are classed as "alternatives." "Alternatives" get a rough time. They are displayed irregularly, given a short shelf life. One month they show up at your corner store, and the next month not Its no way to build a newsat all. stand readerAhip. HERizons would be classed as an alternative by the distributors. Even Saturday Night is classed as an alternative! This is one of the most prestigious magazines in Canada, 100 years old this year. Next time you are at your corner stores, give the magazine rack a quick nationalistic eyeball to check if Saturday Night is available. YOZ>V<ZoKZoroZOK2A4.44:14::AcC>k<SVICAr'ZIA4Z9.' by JOAN BARIL DAY CARE pting ... a scattergun approach, report fails women. 'Child care a ramp that provides equal access the workforce for mothers' wrote ge Rosalie Abella in 1984. This ort is mighty weak material for p-building. The government ought think twice before implementing provision of direct grants to nonprofit day care. We asked for VISION in the development of a quality system. We didn't get it. So the struggle continues. Across the country day care advocates are mobilizing to oppose the Special Committee's recommendations, and to state again our need for a comprehensive, quality day care sys- The Special Committee report n only anger and frustrate the rthwestern Ontario day care comnity. Much time and effort was exnded by many people in preparing d presenting briefs to the Commite's 1986 hearings in Dryden and under Bay. Although the Committee stened to us, obviously they didn't ar us. Not one of the over 30 NWO bmissions recommended tax measures. at we, and most other Canadians, d call for was a comprehensive y care system with high standards quality care; a wide spectrum of rvices to meet families varying eds; a recognition - through apppriate wages and benefits - of e value of child care work; the tem. Addendum As we go to press we learn that the Ontario government's White Paper on day care policy has just been released. While there has been no opportunity to study/analyze this document, the public announcements suggest that the government is taking the first step to remove day care from its present welfare context. The provision of direct grants to non-profit centres is a positive move which we applaud. Mr. Sweeney's June 4th announcement is the first good news day care has received in many years. We all know it takes years before a new magazine makes a profit- most people in the business say ten years. The news sheet U.S.A. Today, which has all the advantages of nationality and distribution, just announced it first profit exactly at the ten year mark. So HERizons, like many another Canadian publication had to fill in the gap with government grants. In Canada, there are grant-supported magazines by the dozen, most with very thin subscription lists- trade mags, academic journals, health news sheets, poetry publications, literary efforts, architectural glossies--all dependent on the Canada Council, or a provincial arts council or a government department. HERizons, which was seeking a mass market, had to lean on something called LEAD (rhymes with "weed"), a program of the federal department of Employment and Immigration. To get LEAD (Local Assistance and Development) a venture has to "demonstrate financial growth" and continue to demonstrate it each year. And every year HERizons sailed thro -. ugh the financial hoops. Each year of publication showed a solid advertising revenue and a subscription increase. (Their most brilliant stroke was to buy the Ms magazine subscription list and canvass Ms' Canadian subscribers. Subscriptions jumped. As everyone knows, you can't publish a quality magazine for peanuts. LEAD invested $900,000 in HERizons in total--the amount decreasing every year. The HERizons administration estimated it would take another $500,000 to carry them through to the ten year self-sufficiency mark. Yet LEAD and the federal government decided to axe HERizons. Why? As usual, when dealing with the bureaucracy, the truth has been buried in the bushes. At first officials stated that LEAD had a policy of only funding a venture for five years and no longer. This statement is misleading and untrue. Next LEAD said the magazine had not "demonstrated financial growth" and would never become self-sufficient. Also misleading and from all indications untrue. Finally there is the question of pressure from the anti-abortion organizations which had publically announced their intent to pressure governments to cut off funding to any groups which support the women's movement. The minister, Benoit Bouchard, admitted he had received "a number of letters on the subject." Although he labels the material in HERizons as "controversial", he also claims the letters were "not a factor in the decision to discontinue funding." Whatever the true reason, LEAD led HERizons down the garden path, into the woods and just before it had come to a break in the trees, turned and destroyed it. NORTHERN WOMAN page 11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �UPDATE continued from Page 7 Intercede, a domestic workers' rights group, and the Legal Education and Action Fund want the governTent to demonstrate the exclusion of domestic workers from the provisions on grounds other than cost to employers. Judith Ramirez, spokesperson for Intercede, described the challenge as "a simple and clear cut issue of social justice". Domestic workers, many of whom are women and immigrants, are excluded from the hours of work and overtime provisions of the Act. Many women work from dawn to dusk for families while also being expected by Canadian immigration to use this time to demonstrate their eligibility for life in Canada, by improving theL it education, becoming involved in community groups, and saving money. (from BROADSIDE) 000 ow) Five half hour videotapes examine the 17 year period of the abortion rights movement in Canada from the liberalization of the abortion law in 1969 until today. The tapes present the abortion rights issue in an overall political context and cover: the history of the movement since 1969; access to abortion and family planning across Canada; the history of the movement in Quebec; the impact of the economic recessions; and Dr. Morgentaler's challenge to the abortion law from 1983-1987. "The Struggle for Choice". written and directed by Toronto video artist Nancy Nicol, raises a number of questions: Why.is there a crisis to access to abortions today, althoCanada has a so-called liberal law? How is women's reproductive freedom affected by the economic recession? Why is there a persistent and on-going oppression of women around this issue? Why the reemergence of anti-abortion forces today? What are the major gains the struggle for abortion rights has achieved and how were these gains achieved? What is the history of the movement in Quebec and how is it different from the history in the rest of Canada? Who are and were the women and men involved in the struggle? Placed in an overall political context, the history of the prochoice movement reveals the commitment, strategies, and dedication of individuals and organizations to the struggle for free abortion on demand. For information about "The Struggle for Choice" write V/Tape, 183 Bathurst St., Toronto, M5T 2R7. (from BROADSIDE) ows 000 Over 200 pro-choice supporters attended a meeting in late January to discuss plans for opening a free-standing abortion clinic in Vancouver. The first item of discussion was whether to establish a freestanding abortion clinic similar to those in Ontario and Quebec or to establish a facility called the Women's Community Health Clinic which would provide other services such as birth control and pre-natal counselling as well as abortion. Those who supported the more comprehensive clinic said that it would have a broader based appeal for fundraising and that it would be harder for government to attack. Supporters of the free-standing abortion clinic argued that a comprehensive clinic would require much more energy and money, and it would be seen as an abortion clinic anyway even if it offered other services. A resolution was adopted that women's reproductive health clinics be established throughout the province which will include abortion services funded by provincial medical services plan, and that, in the meantime, an abortion clinic be established in Vancouver, with the goal to have this clinic established within a year. (from IMAGES) sem oeo A belated but none the less sincere congratulations to the women who organized International Women's Day (Week) activities. It was the most ambitious celebration of IWD in Thunder Bay to date. The week's acti vities included a film showing at Women's Centre of Desert Hearts and Lianna. The Congress of Canadian Won en sponsored 'Towards the Year 2000: Without Nuclear Weapons' with women peace activists Elena Kemenetsky of the Soviet Union and Connie Van Prat of the United States. The Canadian tour of these two women symbolizes the hope of peace groups to unite us all in the movement for peace. Lakehead University Women's Centre held a day of workshops and events, and Women's Health Information Network led a PMS seminar. As well, Decade Council organized a two-day Conference of Transition Houses and Family Resource Centres. Northwestern Trans ition House workers deeply appreciated the opportunity to share information, build links with other houses and reduce the isolation and burn out they often experience. The week culminated with a wonderful Women's Party where the Company of Sirens performed the Working People's Picture Show. This performance, along with the traditional IWD pot luck, music and dancing was greatly enjoye Famous Foes by JOAN BARIL The woman and her adversary, now and through history. COME AND VISIT INSTEAD: Match them up. 1. Margaret Sanger a. Napoleon 2. Nellie McClung b. The Roman Empire 3. Emmeline Pankhurst c. Henry II, King of England 4. Madame de Stael d. The British War Office 5. Florence Nightingale e. Prime Minister Mackenzie King of Canada 6. Boudicca f. Ovid 7. Caroline Norton g. Premier Rodmond Roblin of Manitoba 8. Fanny Kemble h. Norman Mailer 9.. Mary Wollstonecraft i. Anthony Comstock and the Comstock laws 10. Eleanor of Aquitaine j. Pierce Butler 11. Rosa Parks k. Premier Maurice Duplessis of Quebec 12. Christine de Pisan 1. Jim Crow 13. Margaret Atwood m. George Norton 14. Emily Murphy n. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 15. Therese Casgrain o. Prime Minister of Great Britain Herbert Asquith OTLUCK AND REBIRTH SHOWER AT THE CENTRE WEDNESDAY JUNE 24 at 6:30 p.m. suggestiono include: garbage bag oitet papek, and ecotogizek, too, Wing cabinet, welcome mates and ??? answers on Page 15 NORTHERN WOMAN page 12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Family Law * Reformed Again by LYNN BEAK THE ENFORCEMENT ORDERS For many women, it took a long, painful time to obtain a child sup-' port order. Further disappointment occurred when their ex-husband did not pay the order, because they then discovered the protracted and often unsuccessful process called "Support Order Enforcement". The fact that an order for child support has been made by a Judge does not mean that the father will pay it. initiatives '75-'87 Compiled and edited by Fiona Karlstedt, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS 3F WOMEN INITIATIVES 1973-1987 is nearing completion. Commissioned by the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council, the document traces the ebb and flow of the women's movement in Northwestern Ontario, identifying trends and processes that contributed to the increased social, economic and political equality of women in Northwestern Ontario. In all over 75 conferences, action research projects, studies, workshops, political action committees, self-help grou-)s, feminist services, lobbies and other actions are considered. Historically, support for and advancement of women's rights have occurred only during periods of economic prosperity and generalized social reform. The present political and economic climate is depressing. The emergence of groups like R.E.A.L. women is synonymous with the times-closed minds accept myth most easily, but a frightened society seeks it actively. If we are to rationally anticipate the future, we must understand how the present has grown out of the past. If we are to continue developing strategies which will enable us to move on together as a movement, we must draw on our experiences and enormous skills. Clearly, an understanding and appreciation of our own history is essential to that process. Most support orders are unpaid or in arrears. Women were shocked to discover that they must act as a collection agency, often with limited assistance from the Family Court. However, there are changes to the law that are intended to assist women to enforce support orders against fathers and husbands who will not pay. Both the federal and provincial governments have recognized that the present system does not work and have developed new systems which are intended to provide real assistance. In Ontario, an act called the Support and Custody Orders Enforcement Act was proclaimed in 1986. Its purpose is to establish regional offices whose sole function is to enforce support and custody orders, and separation agreements which have been filed in Family Court. Any orders which have been filed in the Family Court for enforcement will be moved to the Enforcement Office when it opens. The office will have the power to obtain information as to the place of employment, address or location of the debtor from any person or public office in Ontario. They will have the power to check federal records and those in other provinces in some situations. The Enforcement Office for Northwestern Ontario will be opening on July 2, 1987 and will be located at 430 Waterloo St. South, with phone number 623-7327. For those women who already have support or custody orders they will be invited to file their order for enforcement. Filing will be voluntary, and the Toronto office staff anticipate a large demand for services. There will be a public information campaign once the office is open, and they will have an 800 line telephone for long distance calls. They anticipate that the staff will be busy locating debtors and their assets, and bringing them into court to explain their default in paying. Although this new government service will assist many women to obtain their support payments, there are some words of warning. For debtors without assets, or those who have hidden them cleverly, an enforcement hearing will not bring any money to the woman. Also, if the woman is receiving welfare or single parent benefits, any support payments received will be fully deducted from the benefits. Despite these limitations, I hope that the new Enforcement Office will assist women by obtaining for them the support payments that the courts have ordered and thus decrease the number of women-headed families that live in poverty. Although not an exhaustive account of developments in the region over the past 14 years, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES does reflect, in whole or in part, the experiences of many of us. It records not only what Northwestern Ontario women have done, but also what they tried to do - the motives and goals that impelled them to strive for some- thing better. It is a record not only of achievement but potential. It validates the contributions women have made and attests to their credibility as decision makers, organizers and negotiators. Obscured from public view, women's social and political participation is often seen as inconsequential. In mirroring our visibility and collective strength, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES sets the record straight. If the Government in Ottawa gets its way, they may take this magazine right out of your hands The Great Depression; two world wars; a small, spread-out population; recessions; inflation; overwhelming competition from the U.S.-none of these could kill Canada's magazines... ...but the current Government in Ottawa just might. Pr he Government is considering demolishing the delicate structure of postal, tariff and tax-related incentives that helps keep the Canadian magazine industry alive. If this happens, many Canadian magazines will die. Those that survive will cost more to readers and publishers and will be more vulnerable than ever to competition from foreign magazines that have the advantages of huge press-runs and lower per-copy costs. Those that survive will be less profitable and, therefore, more likely to succumb to adverse economic circumstances in the future. CANADA'S CANADIAN PERIODICAL PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION, 2 STEWART STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5V 1H6 MAGAZINES ...a voice of our own NORTHERN WOMAN page 13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL OTHER FIRES Short Fiction by Latin American Women, edited by Alberto Mangeul, Lester & Orphen Dennys, 1986. OTHER FIRES is a selection of short fiction by Latin American women, edited by Alberto Manguel, a native of Buenos Aires, who now teaches at York University. Manguel advises that while interest in Latin American literature has flourished in North America since the 1960's all the translated authors were male, while " ..so many of the best untranslated books from Latin America had been written by women." OTHER FIRES gives us a taste of this excellent talent. Although I did not find the stories equally interesting, even the less impressive ones sparked a desire to know the writer better. As these writers are, in the main, novelists, I sincerely hope their longer works will also be translated. In the forward to the anthology Chilean writer Isabel Allende says "In this selection I feel interpreted as a Latin American woman. These writers of diverse Latin American countries have expressed our fears and hopes:our delicate ceremonies, our secrets and rebellions, our love and rancor. They are feminine voices trying to interpret the hidden meaning of the sexuality, the power, the ambition, and the injustice of the macho world where they must live. This anthology demonstrates that Latin American women have their own vision of the world and know how to express it in their own personal, irreverent, furious, fantastic, ironic, and poetic language. They tell of the multiple forms of violence they suffer and, in doing so, violate the first rule imposed upon them since birth: the rule of silence. They do not accept it; they do not bow their heads; they do not resign themselves; they are not silent. These stories were written with tears, blood and kisses." 0000=p000000a,===opuucceccocco:". WHAT'S NEW In the BOOKSTORE Now that we are moved and settled in our new home, our efforts are re-focussed on ordering new books and wonderful, new women's books continue to pour off the presses. The Bookstore expects new shipments weekly - so drop in regularly. New titles that may interest you include: HEAR THE SILENCE: Stories by Women of Myth, Magic and Renewal, "Some of edited by Irene Zahava. these stories can be easily identified with the broadest definition of spirituality. Others are so subtle that you have to look between the words to see that slight shimmer of cosmic consciousness. All of them have the potential to reveal another truth, one which lies just beyond the surface of our daily lives." NORTHERN WOMAN OTHER FIRES is an impressive anthology, and the diversity of the stories will make the book attractive to readers with varying tastes. "Magic realsim and political realism are the two main currents of Latin American literature" Manguel tells us. Readers who tend toward magic realism will be more than satisfied. Given my own bias I would have welcomed more political selections, however, those that are included are indeed fine. The Guerrillero, by Albalucia Angel (Columbia), the shortest story in the book, is a truly remarkable self-dialogue of empowerment and courage; while The Stolen Party, by Liliana Heber (Argentina), defines most powerfully the awakening of a young girl's class consciousness. One story that will stay with me for a long time is Ines Arredondo (Mexico) The Shunammite, which is perhaps the most subtle depiction of the multifaceted violence of a patriarchal society I have read. It's The Fault Of The Tlaxcalteca by Elena Garro (Mexico) I plan to read again and again in the hope of truly understanding it. I am interested in learning Garro's heritage. The story suggests to me Indian heritage and I'm continuously fascinated by the universality of themes and images in native writing - north or south. The women contributing to this book are established writers in their own countries. They are middle aged or older, the youngest being 44 and the eldest 87, and much of the work was first published 20 or more years ago. With these writers as role models and given the expanded publication of women's writing in recent years, we should assume there are also many new young women writers who are augmenting the scope and excellence of Latin American literature, and we can only hope that their work will also be available to a Canadian readership. =.6,Q**=NIXPOCCCANNIMCCMXXXX1NN)=400,,T.C.04= DZELARHONS by Anne Cameron. The long awaited successor to Daughters of Copper Woman. BAKE FACE and OTHER GUAVA STORIES, by Opal Palmer Adisa. "Bake Face and Other Guava Stories brilliantly captures the complexities of our island homeland, Jamaica (Adisa's) stories chart the experience of island women ... with a deep understanding and compassion, and a true sense of their terror and pride, the ghosts that dog their tracks, the dailiness of their lives." (Michelle Cliff) RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE: Fairy Tales for Feminists. "Rapunzel's Revenge is a feminist re-writing of fairy tales .... revealing that Snow White organized the seven dwarfs into a trade union, .... exposing Cinderella's prince as a foot fetishist, and .... showing that feminist fairy tales can be written in fairy tale language." Supporting; individual women and organizations as they work together for equality for women in education, enmloyt ment, the home and community. - Working to eliminate the harriers that prevent local and regional xvomen from reaching their full potential. - Lobbying on issues to improve the quality of women's lives in Northwestern Ontario. - Providing resources to existing and emerging status of women's organizations. - Net \corking area women's organizations to share ideas and concerns. neC.Itle (enure I/ meet, b1-1111)11I/1/y %% All It'ilIV.st'IlIailt)/1 1W/11 /11.1/1% it'gl011,11 communities. Our at priontles are de+11meti to reflect the i:Nne, presented esters) )ntario women. 1-011 FUR111LIZ INFORMATION, CONTACT: NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL 905 TUNGSTEN STREET THUNDER BAY, ONT. P7B 5Z3 807-623-7556 :000=N000====v00.101100AW=VVCCM WOMAN OF POWER magazine. Issue 5's theme is Healing, and Issue 6 is Art As Activism. NO FAIRY GODMOTHERS, NO MAGIC WANDS: The Healing Process After Rape, by Judy H. Katz. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF WOMEN AND THE LAW, Vol. 1 #2, Women and Reproduction. "This issue highlights the theme of male control over women's reproductive capacities and activities - a theme that pervades the seemingly disparate issues of abortion, sexual ideologies, reproductive ethics, artifical insemination, "surrogate" mothering, prenatal screening techniques, the pharmaceutical industry, reproductive hazards, eugenics and lesbian mothers." And for Heather Bishop fans, Heather's newest release - A TASTE OF THE BLUES - both record and cassette. page 14 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Upcoming Events From August 14-21, 1987, the CANADIAN WOMEN'S WRITING RETREAT will be held at Far Hills Inn, ValMorin, Quebec. Women writers of English fiction, poetry, plays, nonfiction prose, and translators working from French to English, will be able to take intensive workshops. Well-known Canadian women writers will conduct morning writing workshops and afternoon discussion groups. There will also be a panel discussion led by representatives of the Canadian publishing industry. The Retreat will not be devoted solely to work. As well as the readings over the week, there will be time for recreation. In the Laurentians, the well-appointed inn offers hiking, swimming, boating, tennis, squash, billiards, and just plain relaxation. For further information, please contact Debra Martens, c/o Centre for Continuing Education, Dawson College, Victoria Campus, 485 McGill St., Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 2H4, phone 514-931-8731 local 6102; or call Greta Hofmann Nemiroff at 514931 -8731 local 6075. SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: Saturday, June 20, 8:30 - ?. Port Arthur Prosvita Hall, 540 South High St. $5.00 For women only. Call at the door. Women's Centre 345-7802 for more info. 0.1e. Fera Sevichter The 12th MICHIGAN WOMYN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL takes place August 12-16. The Festival "is a gathering of mothers and daughters for womyn of all ages. We come together to celebrate our common experiences and unique strengths as womyn - to cel brate our culture, our similarities and our diversity." Brochures with full info are available at the Bookstore. The Third Annual KINGSTON WOMYN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL will be held July 2426, 1987. The Festival began as the vision of two womyn, Georgia Ferrell and Merri Macdonald. In 1983 Georgia bought a large area of undeveloped land on a lake north of Kingston. She bought it to live on, but also to provide womyn with a place to come together, to celebrte nature and each other. The Festival with musicians from Ontario, Quebec and the U.S., along with workshops and crafts, will provide a great weekend. For more information contact GAIA, Kingston Womyn's Music Festival, P.O. Box 1792, Kingston, Ont. K7L 5J6. (Brochures available at Northern Woman's Bookstore.) A Peace Festival is happening in Thunder Bay on Saturday, August 8th. If you would like to sing, dance, sell food or crafts, read a poem, show a picture, or share ideas and energy call Tanya at 622-1416. POT LUCK at Women's Centre, Wednesday, June 24 from 6:30. Housewarming gifts that would be useful include - garbage bags, paper towels, toilet paper, soap, herbal tea and a filing cabinet. -ftliwttgetkol ANSWERS to FAMOUS FOES 1--i. Sanger, American birth control pioneer, repeatedly defied Comstock and the Comstock laws which defined information on birth control as obscene. 2--g. The Premier of Manitoba was a staunch opponent of women's rights. Nellie used all her organizing ability and her famous wit against him, even caricaturing him in a "Mock Parliament". 3--o. Through political maneuvers and lies, Asquith was determined to prevent women's suffrage. He encouraged Street violence against the women, had them arrested on trumped up charges and later set up the policy of force-feeding. He hoped the movement would give up. It didn't. 4--a. Madame Germaine de Stael, prominent political thinker and writer, supported the ideals of the French Revolution but turned against Napoleon when he made himself dictator. Forced into exile she continued her opposition. 5--d. Nightingale fought a life-long battled with the war office to improve hospital conditions for troops. 6--b. Boudicca rallied the tribes of southern Britain in a revolt against the Roman Empire, killing as many as 70,000. Defeated she took poison. 7--m. Norton left her brutal husband but the laws of the time did not allow her custody of her children. Her public agitation resulted in the passing of a custody bill. When her husband seized her money she worked for the successful passage of a bill to allow a married woman to own things. 8--j. After her marriage to a wealthy man, Kemble, a famous actress, discovered he owned a southern plantation. He thwarted her efforts to help the slaves and refused to allow her to publish her book about slavery on threat of taking her children. Eventually he did take them and she did not see her daughters until they were adults. 9--n. It was in order to refute and counter the misogynist ideas of Rousseau that Wollstonecraft wrote her famous 'Vindication of the Rights of Women'. 10--c. Eleanor led a revolt against her husband and landed in prison for fifteen years. Released by his death, she consolidated the kingdom for her son Richard the Lion-Hearted and went on to make her Dutchy of Aquitaine a centre of literature and learning. 11--1. Jim Crow was a system of laws and customs which oppressed Blacks in the southern States. Parks, coming home on the bus tired and with sore feet, refused to obey the driver and move to the Black section of the bus. This refusal touched off the Atlanta bus boycott and fueled the civil rights movement. 12--f. De Pisan, the great medieval writer, was angered by the hatred towards women shown in the works of Ovid and other writers. She wrote 'The Book of the City of Ladies' in 1405, the first treatise on women's 13--h. When PEN, the international writers organization held a congress in New York in 1986, Atwood was one of those who protested to American branch president Norman Mailer about the small number of women writers on the panel. Mailer refused to agree claiming that the women writers he could have invited were mediocre. 14--e. Prime Minister King gave plenty of lip service to the idea that Canada should have a woman in the Senate and that the B.N.A. Act should be amended so that Canadian women could be declared as persons and therefore eligible to hold a Senate seat. However he did little to help Murphy and four companions (the Famous Five) steer the case through several court battles. However when they won he acted in typical male political fashion. He did not give the first Senate seat to Murphy as was expected but to a woman who had no connection with the long struggle but who had worked for years for the Liberal party. 15--k. Duplessis, an unswerving opponent of women's suffrage was premier of the province from 1926 to 1940. Women's groups worked hard for his defeat and in 1940 won the vote at last° rights. Women and Environments NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �CHANGE OF ADDRESS THE NORTHERN WOMEN'S CENTRE THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE Are pleased to announce their new location at 184 Camelot St., Thunder Bay P7A 4A9. We have a spacious new storefront facility. Why not drop in? PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class MAL Registration No. MAIL TO: 5697 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 DATELINE KENORA/YOUR VOICE p3 REBIRTH p4 A COLLAGE OF BARRIERS p6 NFB FILMS p7 UPDATE p8 POETRY p10 DAY CARE RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: Name pll HERizons Address p12 FAMOUS FOES (postal code) p13 FAMILY LAW/INIATIVES $ 5 p14 REVIEW/BOOKSTORE NEWS o Lestltatlosal $10 p15 UPCOMING EVENTS *********************************** WORKERS THIS ISSUE: CAROLYN GREENWOOD MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST MARGARET PHILLIPS ROSEMARY PITTIS *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL? t * PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * * * * *********************************** Northern Woman. Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR ISSUES) $5.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 3 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No. 3 (June 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Women’s Place Kenora Crisis services City funding withdrawn from Northern Women’s Centre, Thunder Bay Northern isolation Violence against women Barriers for women who live in the North Feminist film list Women Health Information Network Poetry Daycare access Daycare policy For-profit childcare Herizons Domestic workers Abortion rights movement in Canada International Women’s Day Child support legislation Family law reform Feminist book review Other Fires Northern Women’s Bookstore Authors/Contributors: Teresa Mallam Carolyn Greenwood Leni Untinen Rosalyn Taylor S. Barry Susan Collins Gert Beadle Margaret Phillips Joan Baril Lynn Beak Mary-Anne Kleynendorst Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2794/1987_Vol_10_No_4.pdf 0aa077e2c1514edbfa2c8742af40173b PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal October 1987 Vol. 10 No. 4 Thunder Bay, Ont. $1.50 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Dear Sisters: AFRICAN NATIONS AND AIDS POLITICS According to a report released in June 1987 by the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) about 50,000,000 Africans are supposed to be carrying AIDS and that the disease had reached epidemic proportions in Central, East and Southern Africa. Many African nations are often outraged and embarrassed when their countries are associated with AIDS and have sometimes refused to cooperate with Women's groups and organizations that make such revelation to Western sources. Zambia, for instance, has banned health authorities and women's organizations from sending any information on AIDS outside the country, and Zimbabwe has refused to assist with funding the projects or programs of all women's bodies or organizations that release the latest figures of AIDS carriers in the country to the outside world. Kenya, with 10,000 cases of AIDS has so far coninued to deny the existence of thatMagnitude of AIDS and has blamed Western media for gross exaggeration of figures. At the International AIDS Conference held in June 1987 at Washington D.C. USA, a revelation was made by Dr. Robert Gallo, an American AIDS specialist, that 10 Nigerians were identified with a special AIDS virus whom he called "Nigerian Red Virus". In the usual re-action of African governments over the association of AIDS with their countries, the leader of the Nigerian delegation at the Conference, Dr. E. Essien, became outraged with Dr. Gallo's revelation and emphatically denied the existence of the "Nigerian Red Virus". Uganda, which has the greatest share of AIDS victims in Africa has opined that "They saw no point in making people panic when there is no risk of an epidemic". Thus African nations continue daily to deny the threat of this disease to the citizens of their countries so that their so-called national image abroad may not be tarnished while the battle to fight AIDS is raging in Western countries. Indeed, the Refugee, Famine, and Drought problems are not of more threat to human lives in Africa than AIDS. An Italian source has revealed that an average AIDS patient runa hospital bills roughly $10,000 which could potentially bankrupt a country's :public health system if the number surges. What becomes the national economies of the already impoverished countries of Africa which develops a care free attitude to the existence of AIDS in their countries? NORTH ERN WOMAN_ loggg,;g., The USA budgetary allocation to AIDS has risen from $5.5 million to $411 million in the past five years. Britain has unleashed a media blitz to alert and enlighten the public on the killer disease. The anxiety is much the same throughout Europe and America, but in Africa the response has not by the least fraction matched the problem. The combined health care budget of all Central African countries afflicted amounted to a paltry sum of $1 million in 1982, and the figure for this year is hardly an improvement. Coupled with this is a general reluctance of governments to admit the enormity of the problem. In addition, it is the sexual aspects of AIDS that has riveted public attention over the disease and it is not without good cause. Sexual transmission is the most common route; some 65-75% of AIDS in Europe and America have occurred in homosexual men between 20-40 years and intravenous drug users who share dirty hypodermic needles. But the opposite is the case in Africa where heterosexual intercourse and female genital mutilation has been the major routes of AIDS. In Africa women are noted carriers. In a survey recently concluded in Uganda, of the 170 pregnant women tested 3/4 were found to have AIDS and half of those affected were sexually mutilated. In Equatorial Guinea, of the 100 women who were tested 78 of them carried AIDS and 65 of them were those whose genitals Aremto prove Prof. Uli Linke's research in the University of California, Berkeley, USA that female genital mutilation is one of the causes of the present widespread of AIDS in - Africa. We, of this centre, have decided not to fold our arms and wait for government action against the deadly disease. We have launched a massive campaign of education and persuasion against female genital mutilation and spread of AIDS by homevisiting countryside enlightenment tours where women are addressed in public places. Campaign by literature; newspapers, radio and television. But our problem is lack of funds to run the campaign and our services as a non-governmental voluntary organization with limited funds. We therefore through your magazine appeal to all feminists, womensfolk, women's groups and organizations to come to our _lid by donating to our campaign fund in the interest of international feminism; for as Virginia Wolf said "as a woman I have no country .... as a woman my own country is the whole world". We shall accept donations by cheque, bankdraft and currency notes in any currency. Send your donations, gifts and enquiries to: HANNA EDEMIKPONG, WOMEN"S CENTRE, BOX 185, EKET, CROSS RIVER STATE NIGERIA, W. AFRICA. I enclose my thoughts on th issue of abortion, which were pr mpted (finally) by the advertise ment in the September 5 C-J enti led, "Candidates on the Level", Campaign Life Northwestern Ontar I believe that due to the large amounts of money the pro-life mu ment seems to have (due to the n bers of ads and films and variou promotional materials put togeth, over the years), this movement h a distinct advantage over the pr, choice movement and/or women who believe it is their right to hay, access to abotions if they belie' it is necessary to their well -be: (Physically, emotionally or final cially). This is unfair. There are v, numbers of people who are confuse about the issue of abortion, or who are neutral (they haven't ma, up their mind about where they stand on it; some have expressed they don't know if they can take a stand, firmly, on one side or the other). All of this material - especially the more grotesque (such as colour pictures of aborted foetuses in trash cans) -and does corrupt. Much of it is blatant propaganda. I am thorougl ly opposed for reasons stated in this letter, to the pro-life move ment getting any more mileage oui of what has been often slimy and distorted tactics based on misinformation, which are now aimed al election. there is a very were in orderstrong opposing view to the prolife movement, but the pro -choice movement, I fear, is much less ai fluent. Many of us are students, single women and men in low-payir lobs, single parents and on sociz assistance or U.I. We do not have $20, $50 and $100 to donate to -CI Canadian Abortion Rights Action League, or any other organization supporting women's rights. For this reason, I am writin and will urge other women to writ to make our views known. We are n high profile, but we are there; however, a nation of letter write we are not, and I fear the worst: that we won't be heard. However, starting by writing to the following people and organizations I fe, should know this opposing viewpoi: The Chronicle/Journal/Times News (Editorial Department) Campaign Life Northwestern Ontari( Mr. Taras Kozyra Mr. Mickey Hennessy Mr. Don Smith Mr. Chris Southcott Ms. Evelyn Dodds Mr. John Maclennan Ms. Lyn McLeod Lakehead Living (Editorial Dept.) Northern Woman Journal The Argus Mr. lain Angus MP Mr. Ernie Epp MP The Canadian Abortion Rights Attic League In Sisterhood, HANNAH EDEMIKPONG (FOR WOMEN'S CENTRE). PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Pay Equity by Liz Poulin During the last several years the issue of Pay Equity has been a major topic of debate in Ontario. Often the emotional form of this debate seemed to obscure the basic principles of fairness and justice that women were seeking to have addressed. The new terms and language complicated the discussion and caused many to throw up their hands in frustration and wait for others to plough through the rhetoric and the misconceptions to the core issues. It cannot be stated strongly enough that it was the concerted and relentless work of feminists that finally brought legislations forward. It was these women who, firmly committed to the improvement of the status of all women, pushed pay equity to the top of the political agenda and, indeed, kept it there. The women of the women's movement are the real stars and their effort must be given full recognition. All this in spite of the enormous opposition from most segments of the business community. Pay Equity is not a new, untried idea. Both the federal government and Quebec have had legislation since the mid-1970's and Manitoba since 1985. The European Economic Community members, Australia, New Zealand and many state and municipal governments in the United States have also legislated various forms of the concept. Much can be learned from their experiences - we don't have to reinvent the wheel. We just have to make it run on our own soil. At this point we can only give an educated guess about how this legislation will affect us here in Northwestern Ontario. There are holes in it that will mean little to women in our small resource-based towns with a single industry. For example, the legislation will apply best to the populated cities and areas where large businesses, industries and governmental agencies locate. Establishments with less that 10 employees are not included in the legislation. Small communities have many under 10 employee businesses, and many of these provide the traditional work of women. This requires further legislation - these women can not be left out. So pay equity will serve many women but by no means all. What we will continue to lobby for will be employment equity which includes a broad range of initiatives that address discrimination against women in the workplace. One of the Pay Equity initiatives is a pay practice based primarily on the relative value of work performed whether the worker is male or female. It is simply another way to express equal pay for work of equal value. Two Bills were introduced in the Ontario Legislature in the past year. The first, Bill 105 was brought forward by Hon. W. Wrye, Minister of Labour. It covered the Ontario Public Service Employees and the second, Bill 154, introduced by Hon. Ian Scott, Minister responsible for Women's Issues, covered private sector firms with more than nine employees and the broader public sector such as employees in hospitals, municipalities, school-boards,s4iniveraities., town ity colleges and Crown agencies. Bill 105 was strongly. criticized and died in the committee stage and Bill 154 was amended in committee to include the Ontario Public Service employees. The purpose of the legislation is laid out in fairly straightforward language and I quote Section 4(1) "The purpose of this Act is to redress systemic gender discrimination in compensation for work performed by employees in female job classes", and Section 4(2) - -Systemic gender discrimination in compensation shall be identified by undertaking comparisons between each female job class in an establishment in terms of compensation and in terms of the value of work performed." The onus is on employers to develop plans and strategies to address discrimination that is gender based. If the establishment is unionized then employers and union representatives must work together to identify comparable jobs, review workers' salaries and identify any pay inequities in female dominated jobs. Employers will need to clarify the values of their organization. For example, what is most valuable to the firm - technical skills?, interpersonal skills?, Product knowledge? etc. Once a firm knows this then it can move to compare Female-dominated job classes, (i.e. there must be 60% or more females), are compared with male-dominated jobs classes which must be 70% or more males. These percentages are higher than womens' groups recommended and may well prove to be a stumbling block in some cases. Compensation (wages and benefits) of the higher paid job (read male!) cannot be lowered to meet the lawer paid job class (read female). Criticism from the business community revolves around the need to compare dissimilar job classes. They say it can not be done. However, it already is being done in many management and administrative areas. The Hay Job Evaluation System is an example which has been widely used for over 40 years. The Community Colleges use this method. The value of jobs is assessed by using the criteria of skill, effort, responsibility and conditions of work. Skill may include education, experience and special expertise. Effort encompasses physical and mental efResponsibility includes problem fort. solving, decision-making, and having responsibility for people, machinery or budgets. And finally, conditions of work concerns the work environment, both the physical and mental aspects of stress. These kinds of guidelines as well as experience in other jurisdictions will all enable employers to meet the legislative requirements. The legislation makes provision for four exceptions. They are: seniority, merit pay, temporary training as i Ekets es ii oy p differences in c..7-7,ensation are be- cause of one or more of these exceptions. Most women across Northwestern Ontario have always had difficulty accessing any kind of training opportunities so the temporary training assignment exception will not affect any great number. However, skill shortages will. Males have the best paid jobs in our resource dominated economy and women have made little headway in moving into them. There is a problem accessing skills training courses, surviving the training, finding jobs and maintaining the energy to be exceptional over a long period of time. The Equal Pay Coalition has this to say - "We strongly object to labour market shortages as a factor for exclusion .... Rather than avoiding the spirit of the legislation by paying high rates to attract the few men with the skills, we would like to see employers spend the money training women to do traditionally male work." The inclusion of this exception is not helpful to the women seeking non-traditional work. jobs. Unions can-play a vital role as they are in a prime position to have input into plans and to monitor the implementation process. Women will be depending on them for this. However, it needs to be noted that women in small Northwestern Ontario centres will not benefit greatly since many do not work in unionized establishments. page 3 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �PAY EQUITY (continued) An independent Commission with sufficient resources and a strong and clearly defined mandate was believed to be essential to the success of the legislation. As set up the Pay Equity Commission (two sections - the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal and the Pay Equity Office) will be in charge of administering and monitoring the implementation of the legislation. It will provide specialized educational materials and consultative services, investigate employees' complaints, hold hearings if necessary and make the final decisions. it will have the power to order compliance with the legislation, The enforcement mechanisms will include fines, search of files, require answers and impose changes. One of the first assignments of the Commission is to conduct a study into sectors of the economy where employment has been predominantly female and where there are no appropriate male job classes for purposes of comparison, i.e. child care centres, social service agencies. This study is to be completed within one year. Since this has been a major concern because large groups of women working in these areas had been left out of the legislation, we can only applaud this amendment to the original bill. This report ought to help in the early addition of these groups. Keep your eye on this so we can all lobby as soon as possible. Concerted efforts of women are going to be need. ed again. The biggest critics of Pay Equity have attacked the Commission as expensive, a waste of tax dollars, another big bureaucracy, arbitrary and powerful. It has been called the "Pay Police". Women fervently hope it will be powerful and thorough in its work. Most of us would view an agency that will work hard on our behalf as long overdue. There is no doubt that the Commission is the key to how effective this legislation will be. Will sufficient resources be allocated to it? Monitor this as well. Two real disappointments in the legislation are its gradual implementation and the lack of coverage for those in very small (under ten employees) establishments. There is no question that both of these resulted from the heavy lobbying done by business organizations. Their argument stated that the very small business operations did not have either the staff, time or resouces to go through the exercise of job comparisons, job descriptions and so on. Thus, it was decided that the public sector and private sector businesses with 500 or more employees, large personnel offices and more sophisicated policies and systems would lead the way. The following is the schedule: Public sector and private sector employers of 500 or more employees - 2 years (from date the Act comes into effect). Private sector employers of at least 100 but fewer than 500 employees - 3 years Private sector employers of at least 50 but fewer than 100 employees - 4 years Private sector employers of at least 10 but fewer than 50 employees - 5 years. Private sector employers are required to set aside not more than 1% of their payroll per year to begin making the wage adjustments and public sector adjustments must be completed within five years of the implementation period. It might be seven years before all the inequities are addressed - a long ti -me indeed. With this legislation we are moving in the right direction. It cer-. tainly takes us many steps along the path to fair compensation for our work. On the one hand it has been called a "bold initiative" and on the other "highly interventionist". The debate is still going on and the monitoring by women will still be necessary. So take a deep breath and eat some high energy food because we'll be the real "Pay Police"::: BEST SELLERS A somewhatdifferent listing than you will find in Macleans. These are the best sellers at the Northern Woman's Bookstore since opened. If you like this best sel. column we'll do it on a regular bi NON-FICTION 1. 2/4 2/4 2/4 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. FICTION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. If the Government in Ottawa gets its way, The Great Depression; two world wars; a small, spread-out population; recessions; inflation; overwhelming competition from the U.S.-none of these could kill Canada's magazines... ...but the current Government in Ottawa just might. The Government is considering demolishing the delicate structure of postal, tariff and tax-related incentives that helps keep the Canadian magazine industry alive. If this happens, many Canadian magazines will die. Those that survive will cost more to readers and publishers and will be more vulnerable than ever to competition from foreign magazines that have the advantages of huge press-runs and lower per-copy costs. Those that survive will be less profitable and, therefore, more likely to succumb to adverse_ economic circumstances in the future. CANADA'S CANADIAN PERIODICAL. PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION, 2 STEWART STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5V 106 NORTHERN, WOMAN, . page 4, , . 8/9 8/9 10. they may take this magazine right out of your hands MAGAZINES WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST by. Michele Landsberg STILL AIN'T SATISFIED edited Maureen Fitzgerald, Connie GI erman and Margie Wolfe NEW OUR BODIES, OURSELVES by the Boston Women's Health Bo( Collective VOICE FROM THE SHADOWS by Gw' eth Ferguson Matthews MOTHER WIT by Diane Mariechil HOW TO BECOME AN ASSERTIVE WOMAN by Jean Baer BATTERED WIVES by Del Martin WOMEN AND MALE VIOLENCE by Susan Schechter CHOICES: A TEEN WOMAN'S JOUR] WOMEN'S WORKBOOK by Patti Schom-Moffatt& Cynthia TeIfi THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Wa THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Marga Atwood WOMAN ON THE EDGE OF TIME by Marge Piercy MERIDIAN by Alice Walker DAUGHTERS OF COPPER WOMAN by Anne Cameron OBASAN by Joy Kogawa SARAH JANE OF SILVER ISLET b Elizabeth Kouhi DESERT OF THE HEART by Jane BLUEBEARD'S EGG by Margaret Atwood THE TATTOOED WOMAN by Marian Engel NWJ Subs The financial health of the Northern Woman Journal is dependen on subscriptions. If there is an asterisk on your label it means that your subscription is due for renewal. If there is a ** double asterisk on your label it means that your subscription is way past due and that this is the last comlementary copy you will receive. Now you don't want us to cut you off do you?? We'd be really pleased if you also decided to give all your friends a NWJ subscrition for Christen ...a voice of our own PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �As a result of the $100,000 grant from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, received earlier this year, WOMEN'S PLACE KENORA has purchased a house at 530 3rd St. N. There will be a celebration on October 17th to coincide with the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council annual general meeting in Kenora. The official opening of the new centre will take place later in the fall. A high Court judge made British legal history when she told a 23-year old student he was not entitled to a court order preventing his girl friend from having an abortion. This landmark case represented the first time an expectant father had sought to prevent an abortion on the grounds that it would mean killing a child. The student argued that an 18-weekold fetus could be born alive. The judge ruled that evidence presented to the court did not allow her to say with certainty that the child would have been born alive at 18 weeks. A feminist political party held the balance of power in the Icelandic parliament in April after voters handed the ruling centre-right coalition a major political defeat. The Women's Alliance, which first sent feminists to parliament in 1983, doubled its vote to 10% and could find itself included in a new government. The two current ruling parties hold only 31 of the 63 seats in parliament. Pay Equity: A Cost Benefit Analysis.. Housing for Canadian Women: An Everyday Concern, Bill C-31: Equality or Disparity?-The Effects of the New Indian Act on Native Women Personal Autonomy and the Criminal Law: Emerging Issues for Women Women Entrepeneurs Briefs: Progress Toward Equality for Women in Canada Caring for our Children Booklets: Planning our Future: Do We Have to Be Poor? CACSW Annual Report 1985-86 Fine Balances: Equal Status for Women in the 1990's Newsletter "Inside Out", the CACSW'S Newsletter is mailed periodically, In it you will find the latest Council news, findings from major research and highlights from recent and forthcoming publications, Dr, Mavis Burke, formerly chairperson of the Social Assistance Review Board and chairperson, then president, of the the Ontario Advisory Council on Multi culturalism and Citizenship, has joined the Ontario Women's Directorate, as Special-A ble Minority Women, "I believe we must work towards a perception which recognizes and reveals a diversity of race and gender in Ontario's workplace for what it truly is--an asset, not not a liability to be borne by our visible minorities,, My entire career has reflected my concern for human rights, My work at the directorate is but a logical extension of this commitment,' . A new national action group wants to help the 95,000 Canadian women who missed filing a claim against the manufacturer of the Dalkon Shield, The American-made intrauterine birth-control device was linked to pelvic inflammatory disease, blood poisoning, infection, sterility, spontaneous abortion and death before it was removed from the market in 1976. Dalkon Shield Action Canada was launched after an attempt to get the April 30, 1986, deadline extended for Canadian women failed last summer, and it is trying to reach these women. The lawyer appealing that decision is optimistic that it will be reversed, especially in light of growing national membership in Dalkon Shield Action Canada. For further information, write Dalkon Shield Action Canada, c/o Vancouver Women's Health Collective, 888 Burrard St., Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 1X9, The following materials are available free, from the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 110 O'Connor St., 9th Fl. Box 1541, Stn.B, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5R5, Forthcoming Books: Battered But Not Beaten: Preventing Wife Battering in Canada. Growing Strong: Women in Agriculture. Background Papers: A Critique of Bill C-114 as Proposed Legislation on Pornography: Principles and Clause-by-Clause Analysis. Immigrant Women in Canada: Current Is sues, The Canadian Jobs Strategy: Current Issues for Women.. . Arja Lane is back from two months in Finland and will be in Thunder Bay for the Interweave Conference. She is presently working on a documentary about housing problems in Sudbury, The Ontario Government recently committed total annual funding of 12,5 million to prevent and reduce family violence in the province, The new funding of $7,1 million is in addition to the $5.4 million in family violence prevention programs announced by the two ministers last september (Attorney General Ian Scott, Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, and Com-munity and Social Services Minister, John Sweeney,) The continuing focus is on support services and protection for assaulted women, and on the criminilization of wife assault, For women working and training in the Trades, the group "WOMEN IN TRADES" is collecting data on women working in non-traditional fields. Their goals include speaker's lists, role models and personal links, and they are looking into the formation of regional groups. If you wish to contact them please write or phone: Mary Addison Women in Trades c/o Times Change Women's Employment Service 22 Davisville Ave., Toronto, Ontario M4S 1E8 Telephone: 416-487-1776 000 BOOK STORE NEWS 000 We want to tell you about Ragweed Press, a woman-owned publishing house in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Libby Oughton, the owner/publisher became involved with Ragweed in 1980, purchased it in 1981, and yearly publishes 10-12 books. Originally, titles included children's books, regional cook books, fiction and poetry. In 1986, Oughton decided to concentrate on feminist and lesbian prose and poetry, which she publishes under the Gynergy imprint. From what we understand Ragweed has been, not only a publishing house, but also a resource centre for Charlottetown women's and peace groups. Unfortunately in July of this year arson destroyed the building adjacent to Ragweed, causing extensive damage to Ragweed's books, manuscripts and office. The loss is only partially covered by insurance - about $60,000 is needed just to bring Ragweed's published books back into print. With Ough.ton's determination and the support of friends and colleagues across Canada, Ragweed is being rebuilt. Readers wishing to support this important women's press may send donMontreal, Confederation Court Mall, 107 Grafton St., Charlottetown, P.E.I. You can also support Ragweed's future by purchasing their fine publications. Ragweed books that are currently available at the Northerm Woman's Bookstore include: THE FAT WOMAN MEASURES UP by C.M. Donald. These poems tell of a woman's conflicting feelings about being fat. "Sometimes her fatness is defiantly celebrated - 'Fat women/Are not few./ When we rise,/ The earth will shake.' And sometimes it is miserably loated, as she asks her thin sisters for more compassion .... Donald writes with power, humour and emotion about a subject that has received far too little positive attention and understanding." This is perhaps Ragweed's best known publication (at least in the women's community) and has received excellent reviews. THE BOOK OF FEARS, by Susan Lerslake (who was nominated for the Governor General's Award in 1985). "In these stories, Kerslake interrogates fear; she pins it under her lights and questions it until it confesses that fear leads to vision,,that fear may need cooperation; that fear, finally, is a power vacuum, a surfeit of possibility, and a silence. Kerslake is a gifted writer, with an extraordinary imagination. OUT ON THE PLAIN, by Frankie Out on the Plain is "of four women who meet and come together not so much in the physical world we know, but out on the plain, a mysterious and unfamiliar landscape which at first appears unfocussed but takes on colour and clarity as the bonds strengthen between the women. Finn. Cont. on page 14 NORTHERN ,WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Michigan Womyn's Music Festival by Rose Pittis The ferry pulled away from the Wisconsin shoreline as we headed for the deck, found chairs, and settled in for the long trip. Although we were still hours from our destination it took only seconds to realize that the majority of people on deck were womyn enroute also. Womyn in groups of all sizes, dressed in everything from shorts and summer tops to woolens and heavy jackets, carrying guitars, boo ks and food hampers. A womon came up to us and asked if this was our first time. When we said, 'Yes', she said "Ahhh, you're going to Paradise-. The 12th Michigan Womyn's Festival was indeed a paradise, though a somewhat wet one as it rained at least half of every day we were there. Weather aside, the energy emanating from 600 acres of land holding over 7000 womyn is difficult to describe. The feeling of womon-power, pride, and community simply becomes a tingling in the scalp and a sob in the throat and something which I will never forget. From the moment of entering the land it became evident that the organization of the event was near-perfect. Womyn directed us to a parking spot where we registered and unloaded our gear,on a long island of grass ready for the shuttle service. (No personal vehicles go beyond the main parking area) We were then directed along.-a road to coloUr-coded parking lots. After parking, we were directed to an orientation tent where an information video played continuously explaining the philosophy of the land and the collective spirit. We then moved to the work tent where everyone is asked to sign up for a four-hour workshift in transportation, daycare, security, kitchen etc. Up until this point I had been amazed by the number of experienced volunteers that the festival organizers had collected together. Now .I realized that everyone I had met directing me along the way was a participant like myself already doing her workshift. This collective spirit is one of the secrets to the organizational success of the festival. In no other way could 7500 people move onto the land, set up tents, eat communally, and move off the land in the space of five days with very few problems. In celebrating womyn, the festival not only promotes the collective spirit but honours our diversity. Camping areas are divided into general, quiet, chem-free, and 'loud and rowdy' to provide everyone for the type of atmosphere they want. Camping areas for disabled were also available close to the hub of the festival. Other serices consisted of 'the Wqmb', a firstaid area; the Oasis for emotional support; and the Sober Support Tent. The Community Center Complex had tents for Festival Information, Womyn of Colors, International Networking, Womyn over Forty, and lost and found. The craft market offered crafts and art of over 150 womyn as well as literature and music. The day stage and acoustic stage were active daily from Thursday to Sunday, offering a variety of workshops in voice, instrumental and dance. Highlights for me were Heather Bishop's Children's concert where fifteen little people managed to squeeze up on stage to help Heather with her show, and The Reel World String Band who got thousands of women up square dancing for the afternoon. Every evening the night stage program provided a diverse program to satisfy all tastes in music. Jasmine, a 3-piece jazz band, showed excellent musicianship and tight harmonies. The Maxine Howard Revue, a glossy 7-piece band, gave us a big band sound and a night club routine. Faith Nolan, from Halifax, sang some beautiful folk pieces, and Phranc, from New York, performed from her original repertoire with such songs as 'I Want to be an Amazon' and 'I Like Female Mud Wrestling'. The L: ian Allen Band was a collection o: some of Canada's finest musicians with Lorraine Segato weaving harm( and Sherry Shute playing haunting echoes of Lillian Allen's lilting ice. Of course Heather Bishop, Ho: Near, and Ronnie Gilbert were the: playing old favorites and new mat( al to thunderous applause. On the final night the secon( last act was Robin Flower Band. they were playing their fine blue the skies opened up and provided incredible light show of lightenii while everyone sat in awe. A few I utes later a gale whipped up, the poured down, and Robin Flower Ban( had to run off stage in- danger/Mqm electrocution and the huge stage opy collapsing on them in the win( Stage crew and audience alike rust to cover thousands of dollars wore of sound equipment from the storm, In the glow of the lightening one could see the bodies of the light] and sound crew scaling the fifty towers to secure and cover their E pment, This was certainly a grand ale to an incredible week. 1:)( A c 1 The next day, thousands of we silently packed up their sopping and splashed through the mud to tt shuttle service,preparing themsell emotionally and mentally for the N outside paradise, A sadness fell our group as we slowly drove off land, vowing to return next year. August See ou GI r?J ip NORTHERN WOMAN 1 'Sak ma w page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Name Change by LYNN BEAK expensive process, since the perTo change their name on documents son had to hire a lawyer, and such the as S.I.N. cards and driver's Ontario Legal Aid Plan seldom licences, paid they would write to those for the legal costs. agencies requesting the forms to change their name, then notify banks and SHappily, the rules have now employers of the change. been changed regarding name changes. The power to change the name on birth certificates has been given to TO OBTAIN THE APPLICATION FOR A LEGAL the Office of the Registrar-General. NAME CHANGE An application form must be filled out by the person wanting to change Write to the Office of the Regtheir name - it is not simple - but istrar-General, Ministry of Consumer it also does not need a lawyer. and Commercial Relations, MacDonald There is a fee of $100.00 and an adBlock, Queens Park, Toronto, and exditional $15 for each child. plain the name change that you want Both of the women in the and ear-they will send the appropriate lier examples are now able to forms chan- to be completed for a legal ge their children's names. Anyname per-change. son of the age of 16 years can apply to change their name, and the PARENTS only RIGHTS REGARDING CHANGING THE general restriction is the requireSURNAMES OF THEIR CHILDREN ment that the person applying has lived in Ontario for a year prior If parents are sharing custody to their application. of their children, then both of them WHEN IS A LEGAL NAME CHANGE NOT NEEDED For many years the change of name rules in Ontario did not meet A legal name change is not everyone's needs. If a woman was a needed in some circumstances. If a single parent, unmarried when her woman wishes to use a nickname, but child was born and she and the not birth actually change her birth certifather have registered the child in ficate then a name change is not his surname, she could not change needed. Anyone may use a name that the child's name to her surmaneis withnotlegally yours (such as the out the consent of the birth father. surname of6your legal or common-law If he could not be located, or spouse) was as long as they are not dounwilling to agree to the change, ing so in order to defraud creditors, the child had to remain in his name. avoid police or for any other improAlso, if a woman was separated per purpose. and reverted to her birth name, she could not change the names of the Just as a person may change their children in,kierustody without her name to (or hypenate that of their spouse without needhusband's consent. ing a legal name change, so may they The old rules required everyone change their mind and revert to their who wished to legally change the birth name on their birth certificate (or name whenever they choose to do so, that'of their children) to apply to either during the marriage, separation or after divorce. the court for an order. It wasafter an - Writer in Residence GOOD NEWS: Veronica Ross has n appointed Writer-in-Residence the Thunder Bay Public Library. s will take up residence at the erley Resource Library from Oct. 1987 to June 3, 1988. She will be ticipating in the new Writers-Inraries Program sponsored by the istry of Citizenship and Culture. The program is designed to inase public awareness of Ontario's writers and Canadian literature and to provide professional assistance to emerging writers. During the eight months of her residency, Ross will take part in public workshops, critique manuscripts, and provide ongoing creative and marketing advice have to consent to the change of the children's surnames. This would occur when both parents are living with the children or have signed a joint custody agreement. However, if only one parent has custody after a separation or due to the fact that the other parent never lived with the child, then the consent of the non-custodial parent is not needed unless a separation agreement or court order states that the child's name will not be changed without their consent. If the non-custodial parent has visiting rights, the parent with custody must notify them of the fact that the child's name is going to be changed. FURTHER QUESTIONS If you have further questions about name changes, you may contact the Registrar-General's office, a lawyer or a legal clinic in your area. to writers. While in Thunder Bay she will be working on her new novel and hopes to do some work with older adults and students, as well as individual writers. Veronica Ross is the author of three collections of short stories: Goodbye Summer (Oberon, 1980), Dark Secrets (Oberon, 1983) and Homecoming recently published by Oberon. A novel, Fisherwoman, was published in 1984 by Pottersfield Press. Her stories have appeared in a wide variety of magazines - several stories have won national awards. A native of West Germany, she grew up in Montreal, lived many years in Nova Scotia and for the past three years has been living in Kitchener, Ontario. She has been involved in two previous writer -inresidence programs in Nova Scotia where she taught creative writing, and she is presently the associate editor of Antigonish Review. If you are interested in bringing a group to the library, or if you would like to schedule your own appointment with Veronica Ross, please call Barbara Koppenhaver, Co-ordinator of Community Services at 344-3585. NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �No Pasaran by JOSIE WALLENIUS The World Congress of Women, held in Moscow in June was not only a political debate but a festival of culture, dancing and song. It started off for Canadian delegates in the Aeroflot Jet taking off from Montreal, with Arlene Mantle, singer songwriter from Toronto, leading us in some of her superb Women, class struggle songs. As one of her lines goes, "When you know that the Right is wrong, then all that's left is Left". Close to three thousand women from 154 countries gathered in Moscow to discuss Women's Issues. Peace and Disarmament, Women in Society, Women and Work, Women and Family, Women in National Liberation Struggles, Problems of Development for Women, Women in Education, Mass Media and Women, and the role of Women in the Forward Looking Strategies adopted in Nairobi in 1985. All this was convened by WIDF (Women's International Democratic Federation), an organization founded in 1945, which broadly speaking was meant to ensure that we would not bow to Fascism again, the political reality of Monopoly Capitalism gone criminal., I mention the reason for the founding of W.I.D.F. because fortytwo years later'in Moscow, in session after session and workshop after workship, women worldwide condemned our banks and our institutions as the root cause of their problems. Unless we women in the West stop playing the Sleeping Beauty, we will have betrayed not only our sisters but the planet itself. South African Women's Day Campaign As a priviledged woman who is literate and eats more than once a day, I went at first to the Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Sessions. I was initially disappointed, as I was looking for solutions, not a rehash of the problems. On the first morning I heard at least four Japanese women tell us again about Hiroshima, and there was an endless stream of women from countries in Liberation wars, bleeding from our Military Industrial Complex and the greed of our banks. Knowing of these things before I went, and being at the end of the speakers list I decided to leave and attend a workshop organized by U.S. activists, where Helen Caldicott was going to speak. I have always held Caldicott in high regard, and thought I could at least have my say in question time. However, after hearing Helen speak, I had lost the frustration I had felt, as she said the things so many of us had been waiting to hear. She started off by describing her experience with the Physicians for Social Responsibility. She had spearheaded this organization, done massive education work, only to find herself a -non person when the time came for the P.S.R. to receive the Nobel Peace prize. She returned to Australia, not only wounded, but aware that all of her vision and energy had been spent fighting shadows, and that the weapons and effects of war were not the only things we should be talking about. She spent the next two years studying the corporations, and is now talking about them. She said that the North American public is totally brainwashed, and the rich have orchestrated this brainwashing by T.V. She said that since World War 1 the corporations have spent billions of dollars in destroying our unions, and that the C.I.A. is as active in Australia as in Bolivia. She said that the U.S. is socialism for the corporations and capitalism for everybody else. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 She agreed with an 85 year old won an who denounced the U.S. government as criminals and gangsters, E a few days later, when we spoke tc her in the dining room, she said i was now like the thirties, we have nothing to lose, we must confront Fascism. She actually used the wo/ revolution. This is Helen Caldicot speaking, not Angela Davis. I. thinksome libera.)._woW.a-faj to grasp the point. The ones who tumade a decision NOT to attend the sions run by Palestinian women, or those run by A.N.C. Women and Womer from the Frontline States, or who failed to seek out the Afghan womer to hear their story about the C.I..t orchestrated counter revolution in their country. To further illustrate this poi some women actually resisted what they saw with their own two eyes. C day some of us went to an automobi] plant where we were greeted by members of the Union, Women and Peace Committees. We ate, sang and dance( together, and then went to workers homes to talk more intimately. Abot common family troubles, sex, A.I.D. and anything we felt we wanted to. When we returned to the plant we the museum where cars were display dating from their first production. to the tanks of the war years, to modern cars of today, so that worki people can have pride in their history of accomplishments. t The plant had day care centres and medical centres at the site, an subsidised holidays on the Black Se resorts, yet some still were not im pressed. Perhaps one has to go with out holidays, or go hungry to pay a medical bill, before one is impress by Socialism. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Az a ItiorfAh I; -:AV. COUriTRY... MY CovnTR.Y dik* ATHC. WoRLD * .14 from Women and Environments A few days later, lazing on a seat on a pleasure boat on the Moscow River, watching families opening their picnic baskets, I wondered sadly if some thought secretly that the K.J.B. had organized this day for us. That they had ordered sections of the public to sunbathe on the river banks at a given time, that they had told the people to smile and the sun to shine. Another highlight for me was going to the indiginous Women's workshop. Seeing the Native Canadian women meeting the Indiginous Women from Australia and Paraguay, and finding out that they were going to unite and organize together. Feeling the strength of the Native Canadian women who have decided that spirituality is not enough to solve their problems. At the final Peace Rally, thousands and thousands of women gathered with Moscow citizens to walk hand in hand and arm in arm, with banners, balloons, clowns and colour, to Gorky Park. The last singer to perform was our own Arlene Mantle, and she sang, "We Shall Overcome", She sang it not with humility, as it is too often sung, but with full throated power, and we sang it back at her, and with her. She began to walk away, bending down to receive flowers from children, but the crowd did not move, so she sang again, this time the Central American Freedom song, with a Guatamalan woman singing at her side, Nicaragua is, after all, the Second Spain, As she finished, she raised her fist, and sang out, "NO PASERAN", the cry of resistance first shouted almost 50 years ago during the Spanish Civil War by the Spainards and the International volunteers, including Canadians, who fought to defend Madrid against the Fascist supported armies of Franco, A cry of Hope and Defiance meaning literally "They will not Pass", But fifty years ago they did pass, because the people in the West did not defy their governments who were supporting Fascism, pretending they did not know, as we pretend in Canada not to know of our governments support of the regime in El Salvador. I think Helen Caldicott has, like other women have started to do, made, not a marxist analysis, but a clinical assessment for this dying planet, and it remains to be seen what we do with it "If We Love This Planet". For myself, I know that there is a lone group of women on a picket line in our town. I don't know them, and probably if I asked them what Trident is, they would say it is chewing gum. I'm joining them on Monday, as a peace activist. While keeping the words "No Paseran" firmly in my head, I also remember reading the case of Suttons Hospital from 19th century Britain "The corporations cannot commit treason, nor be outlawed nor excommunicated, for they have no souls." ON HEALING I am a 'Loch s, quiet convictionz My Compa/mion Ent/Lenched with ofmtinacy Stnength unnoticed Waiting I am a pond LayeAz o6 Zi6e Peace in motion Unexpected depth Untimited Expto/Le my pond And you wit-E. (find The. /Lock I am a 6o/Lezt A banned-out oite.t that Rquzed to die Laughter pLom dapondence -ExpZoke my 6otezt my pond Within it Exptone my pond And you witt 6ind The 'Lock.. Suzan Cottin4 May 1987 page 9' NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �In Search of a r.e.a.l. Womar by Teresa Mallam of Women's Place Kenora At Women's Place Kenora, we have come to the conclusion that R.E.A.L. women do not exist. We arrived at this conclusion after futile attempts to reach the aforementioned party through the telephone directory service - there was no listing for them. "I've looked under everything" said the harried Winnipeg operator "even under the heading WOMEN and there's nothing coming up on the screen." We thought so. We were just checking. Then we reached the same dead end from Kenora Information. "Never heard of them" said the operator. Then we phoned our good friends at Klinic-in Winnipeg and we were told R.E.A.L. women were not listed on their resource list. This did not surprise us given the fact that most employees of Klinic are of feminist orientation and R.E.A.L. women are above all else, anti-feminist. The group who call themselves R.E.A.L. women emerged in the domestic kitchens of its founder, Grace Petrasek, a homemaker from Etobicoke, Ontario. Rumour has it that.she was preparing the family meal - from scratch of course - when the idea struck Rer to mount a ,chalienge.to feminism - a group she felt only "thought they spoke for people like me" - but REALLY didn't. She then joined forces with Gwen Landott and together they set out to set the world upright again - or something to that effect. They began by denouncing prostitution, then homosexuality, then sex education, universal day care (based on want, not need) and no-fault divorces - or any kind of divorce for that matter. The group is also vehemently opposed to abortion, naturally, because many of their members sprang up from right-to-life groups. But R.E.A.L. women are still a mystery to our organization. The closest we have come to hearing the voice of R.E.A.L. women is on a Radio Noon Show from Toronto in which Grace remarks: "I really don't know why they (feminists) are so upset." Well, we are not really upset, just perplexed. WHO ARE THESE R.E.A.L. WOMEN? Do they, like their male counterparts - eat quiche? I mean some people have actually gone so far as to accuse us (feminists) of being jealous of their cleverly devised name. Harrumph. Even if we interpret R.E.A.L. as Real (and we do not), we can hardly be jealous given the word's real meaning. "Real" as defined by the Pocket Oxford Dictionary means "actually existing as a thing." Frankly, we would rather exist as people. We should also point out that "feminist" according to the same source is defined as "an influence of women, belief in or advocacy of ..." Columnist Doris Anderson unearthed some fascinating tidbits in her NORTHERN WOMAN _page. 10 1985 column "The Real Truth about Real Women" saying that "they are, not really women at all. They want to be dependent. And dependents by any 1985 (read 1987) definition are not adults. Dependents are children." Which brings us back to our original problem. If in fact R.E.A.L. women do exist, in whatever form things or children - (and that is interesting because neither Petrasek nor Landott will reveal her "real" age according to a Chatelaine article). I mean maybe they really are children dressed up in Mom's twinsets and pearls. Anyway, if they do exist, where are they? Part of our objective in finding them is that some of their platform (about 5% according to NAC president, Louise Delude) is the same as ours. 5% is_better than nothing. At least we have that much in common. For instance, the group is for the family unit. Well, what a coincidence so are we. They support homemaker's pensions. Funny, we thought we said that. They recognize the contribution of women in the home. Well, so do we. In fact, we were the first ones to say so. But the reason R.E.A.L. women are getting a lot of press lately and no, we aren't jealous of that either, even if Stan Graham, Tory M.P. does say their testimony is "like a breath of fresh air". So, who wants to be known as a group of airheads? But anyway, for three consecutive years they have been griping because they have not been given funding by Secretary of State Women's Programs. Now, you have to appreciate these programs are intended to further the cause for women. To promote advancement of women and to improve their status. Funding is not available to groups who wish to help with a movement backwards in time. But ... humor, maybe they should try another ministry, say Citizenshi and Culture. After all, no one can deny they are citizens. And funding for preserving old relics and ancien ways of life is certainly high on their list of priorities. We wish th real luck, we really do. P.S. If we ever succeed in finding this group, I have a'great recipe fc orange muffins.... maybe we could have a bake-off! Wanted AN INEXPENSI'IE LEGAL SIZE FILING CABINET IS URGENTLY NEEDED BY THE NORTHERN WOMEN'S BOOKSTORE. PLEASE CALL 344-7979. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �INTERWEAVE Sharing our common threads; strengthening our ties; designing the fabric of our future; INTERWEAVE is a conference for Ontario women's centre workers that will be held October 23, 24, 25, 1987. INTERWEAVE intends to examine issues of survival for women's centres; develop a provincial network among centres; and identify future needs and create action strategy for centres to deal with concerns such as the institutionalization of women's issues. INTERWEAVE believes that we must develop an analysis for change based on our own experience as women's cen tres. Workshop facilitators will draw on participants knowledge to create and implement strategy designed to ensure our future. All Ontario women's centres are invited to send delegates, and to be prepared to contribute their centre's unique experiences so that the result will be workable strategy for all centres. Workshop discussions will include an overview and analysis of organizational models/towaris the creation of a uniquely feminist model; funding possibilities and their implications; strategy to make positive change in a conservative world; why feminist issues are co-opted by non-feminist financial sponsors/developing strategy to reclaim and maintain our own issues; understanding lesbian visibiility/how internal conflict relates to homophobic and heterosexist reaction from without, and how that reaction is reinforced by the political and social climate; how women's centre workers find ways to satisfy and nurture themselves while working toward change/developing strategies to encourage a sense of ownership and involvement of new women, and target methods for renewing energy among seasoned members. INTERWEAVE will be held at Memory Lodge, which is located on the shores of Lake Superior, approzimately 40 miles southwest of Thunder Bay. Transportation from the Thunder Bay airport to the Conference site will be provided. Shuttles from town will also be arranged. Accommodation consists of shared cabins and rooms at the Lodge. All meals, entertainment and recreation for the weekend will be provided on site. For further information please call Northern Women's Centre (807) 345-7802 read any good books lately? NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St Thursday & Friday : 11.30-600 Saturday: 430-4 30 SpectAum Cotouted watts stide in and out pa termed tite4 and potished gtain some watts pretend to be tainbows tentacte4 cotoca teaising w with pnomtis es and dreams - -- Watts 6epakate cetts, /1.0001, people you and me btack shadow Watts s tatk_ white watts wtao astound me in an endtess 6og I took 6ot you Watts keep us waiting inside out isepatate cetts t/Lapped inside bodies that tage agai_nst hems elves aging gesh watts accommodate gtowing ptisons watts come ctoset to us cat tying tiie and death Shatt I paint myTh)atts with blood red gowets on golden dream-iitted takes? Sptinkte 0/Lange chat on gAey tty to pooh the waltz away? on play inside them tike a chitd ptanning 6/Leedom .. Rosatyn Taytot Pettett NORTHERN WOMAN page 1 1 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �- Abortion Access Reprinted from PRO-CHOICE NEWS Ontario residents will perhaps remember that during the provincial election in 1985 all three political parties agreed that access to abortion services was inadequate and needed improving. This was a remarkable admission and a significant one The poLiticians were no longer quibbling about whether abortions should be performed, but were in fact acknowledging that such a medical service belongs in the mainstream of medicine and provision of that service was now the issue. Perhaps they had finally begun to read the polls rather than only reading their antiabortion mail. Perhaps they had finally realized that pro-choice groups and virtually every women's organization in the province were speaking for the majority and were making sense. Perhaps, because they understood this they were more willing to display a little political courage. There was also the embarrassment of the Morgentaler clinic, a constant reminder that women in Ontario (and other parts of Canada) were not able to get abortions through the hospital system. The Liberals promised that if they were elected they would improve access, especially in Northern Ontario. The Liberals were elected and in June of 1986 (it only took a year) Dr. Marion Powell, who had been a member of the Federal Government's inquiry in 1977 into the operation of the abortion law (the Badgley Report) was asked to review access to therapeutic abortion services in Ontario. These were the terms of reference: (1) Review with those Ontario hospitals that provide therapeutic abortion services to: (a) identify the demand and availability of services by geographic area; (b) identify program components that women require and the means of achieving optimum provision of these components; (c) review the referral patterns and scheduling process; (d) review the operation of therapeutic abortion committees, and (e) encourage the development of this service as a total program. (2) To work with the public health units in Ontario to identify needs in their family planning programs and to examine ways in which the programs can be co-ordinated with those provided by hospitals. PDF (3) To work with local hospitals, public health units, and the like, to develop a regional or local referral system for birth control services. (4) To work The with firstconcerned phase of comthe study munity groups, e.g. Planned Parentwas undertaken in the summer and hood, to develop informational andmet with fall if 1986. Dr. Powell educational programs on family planservice providers throughout the proning. vince. Her report was released on (5) January To identify resources 27 ofthe this year. Its findrequired ings to assist and to expand as "damning" were characterized these services hospitals, health by the in media. Dr. Powell found the units, and so on. system rife with problems. Among the problems she identified were the following: (1) In over 50% of counties the majority of women obtaining abortions had the procedure outside their place of residence. (2) A minimum of 5000 Ontario women obtain in free-standcompression, OCR, abortions web optimization using ing clinics in Canada or the U.S. All the criticisms of the existing system of service delivery contained in Dr. Powell's report have been mode by provincial pro-choice and family planning personnel for years. All the critcisms of the existing system of service delivery contained in Dr. Powell's report have been made by provincial pro-choice groups and family planning personnel for years. For that reason Dr. Powell's report is a welcome and long overdue acknowledgement of the unacceptable delivery of service in the curarent watermarked evaluation hospital-based system. Itcopy is of also a credit to the provincial gov- CVISION PDFCompressor �RESPONSE OF ONTARIO GOVERNMENT TO POWELL REPORT In March, Health Minister Murray Elston announced his government's response to the Powell Report. The Province will spend up to $2.5 million to encourage hospitals to provide better service. In this way Elston hopes the need for the two free-standing clinics will be eliminated. The provincial government has hired Dr. Powell to begin implementing some of the recommendations of her report. In 1970 the late Dr. Elsie Gregory MacGill, member of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women and subsequent Honorary Director of CARAL, issued a separate statement to the Commission's Report. She said, in reference to section 251 of the Criminal Code (the section dealing with abortion), that if this law is not repealed immediately it "will linger on for a decade or two more to harass and punish women." Dr. MacGill's words were prophetic. We are in year 17 of that prophecy. The basis for the inequities and scandalous treatment of women seeking abor- tion care in this country is the abortion law itself. Despite protestations from some that access can be improved under the current legislation we have seen no evidence of this. In fact we have seen a constant and steady erosion of service across the land. It remains to be seen whether Ontario can honour its pledge to improve access, given the refusal to confront what everyone knows are unworkable and unnecessary constraints in the legislation, namely, the requirement that abortions be performed in hospitals and only upon approval by a therapeutic abortion committee. .************,.*****************.*40***********#*******.*****...***.*******.*..*.o.***.***.o.*****************.*********.** Women's feelings, needs and thouward right-and-far-right-wing conservatism, ghtsmanifested have consistently in reactionary been challengand right-wing governments ed on this issue. and organizations) of women's rights and freedoms (This issue is extremely complex. Theoretically, all of Canadian socI will forward a longer supplement iety's rights and freedoms are therewhich I have been moved to write, affore being eroded, but it is women ter all this time of trying to organwho are, and have been, paying the ize some personal response to all the price. members of the pro-life movement. Loewenberg and Dolgoff write: Many of these people, I think, are "A person can be said to be free well meaning, but in their zeal to only when all of the following condiprotect the "rights of the unborn", tions prevail: continued from p2 they forget those of us who've had 1. The environment provides a to live here for many years. However, set of options from which a person I am aware that many of the tactics can make choices. For reasons mentioned in the of the pro-life movement are very There Iisamnonot coercion attached 2. letter, signingon the destructive and uncaring of others- person from any source to choose a my name. I believe my thoughts rewitness firebombings and destruction given option. present those of many women, beof property -- and for this reason, 3. The person aware of all cause I have heard manyisexpress themI do not include my name, as I do not the available options. selves similarly to me. I am firmly wish to be harassed as a private cit4. in Thethe person hasthat accurate entrenched belief wom- inizen. I am not writing as a member about the cost conseen'sformation (and human) rights will and never of a party or organization.) quences to of become each option in order to be allowed a dead/nonI believe we must oppose-mnyabwillommm assess them realistically. issue, irrespective of the> prevailfurther suppression and denial of 5. The person has the capacity ing political climate. women's rights, as we should the denand/or initiative to make decision Suffice to say that I am awritial and suppression of the rights of theasbasis of this and assessment. ing on this a tax-payer voter, men to self-determination. Barring 6. The person a realistice and an L.U. student whohas works partminority males, men's autonomy and to I'm act writing on the basis timeopportunity at two jobs. this of self-determination have always been hisindividual, or her choice." as an and have not been regarded, historically, as a kind of this definition, women who coerced, By commissioned or otherwise sacred trust. are ordered an embryo cajoled to writetoitcarry by anyone otheror I firmly believe that if men foetus to full term, and give birth, than myself. Thanks for your time. could conceive and have babies, they are not free (the basic precept of would never have allowed the issue of our democratic society). Organizations Sincerely, of abortion, and of individual rights, such as Campaign Life (who ran the to deteriorate to its present state. latest advertisement in the Chronicle Make no mistake -- this is a women's Journal), if ever allowed to become issue. Men have a place in it, but the predominant activist organization TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: what ethical right do they have domon abortion, would see to it that inating it? I shudder at the conseabortions become illegal. This would I have always had a very hard quences of the potential acts of be a totalitarian, undemocratic act. unfeeling male decision-makers on time with hearing men predominate in I challenge the pro-life discussions about abortion, one ofmovethis issue. that to this: if you prove of the ment primary and true "issues" ourunder allThe circumstances, the pro-choice time. sad fact is that in prea pregnant say "As sentmovement Canadianwould society, it should not womabortion", then an,issue you must haveits an existence be an at all; argument, I will entire should be arefute basic this right, and a given. campaign. and wish been you success in your I have amazed and angered that this But youtoknow well as leaders, I listening maleaspro-life absolutemarchers nonsense. maleispro-life and organiof profact, (lately, the existence zers, andInindeed with the by groups confirms Babychoice "K" case), male ethicsdemocracy, profespro-life example, (and whereas thehaughtsorsthis consistently often fact of that it. The ily)movement discuss denies the various aspects pro-life movements exist is only abortion, including ethical/moral im- due the democratic to the good graces plications, attempts to of define life allowed country in which it is itself (something truly beyond the to the face operate, it including kicks it in grasp of mostyet, of us, theoundeby propounding an astoundingly logians and most learned professors), mocratic line. Thunder and what a woman -- And not in a man -- Bay, Messieurs Hennessy supshould or should not do and withKozyra her own Unbelievable, especially body.port More than not, when womitoften when Mr. Kozyra is such a staunch en are mentioned at all, it is as the of demoupholder of the principles villian, the vamp and/or the vessel. your OICE cracy: The crime of this entire issue is the gross erosion in present Canadian society (due primarily to the trend of the last several years to- NORTHERN WOMAN page 13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS The Myth of Women's Masochism, by Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D., Signet pb, 1985, $4.95 The myth of women's masochism is deeply entrenched in our society. That women contribute to our own misery; that women fear success, thus ensuring our own failures; that, some - if not all - women actually enjoy pain and suffering; are deeply held beliefs. The myth has frequently been "proven" by a variety of (usually male) "experts"; been embraced by the mental health profession; and has been widely accepted even by women. Feminists who have long been uncomfortable with the 'masochist' label will welcome the exposure of the myth that has been provided by Paula Caplan's important work The Myth of Women's Masochism. Caplan, a Canadian psychologist and educator, provides a solid analytical base to understand why women's behaviour has been mislabeled masochistic; the benefits that accrue a misogynist society to continue the myth; and the consequent difficulty in debunking the myth. It was only after some years of study and clinical practice that Caplan began to seriously question the accepted wisdom that women's behaviour is masochistic, leading to the development of theory that "the behaviour in women that has been called masochistic actually has other explanations" namely: " * the ability to delay gratifications, wait for rewards and pleasure, or attempt to earn happiness through effort. the capacity to put other people's needs ahead of one's own. * the belief, based on past experience, that what one has is about all one can expect to get, or * the effort to avoid punishment, rejection or guilt." Caplan believes women's unhappiness stems from our woman-hating society that creates attitudes, institutions and power relations that cause women much pain - a society that "uses the myth of women's masochism to blame the women themselves for their misery". When women are convinced their problems are pathological, we won't question "the social institutions that really are the primary cause of the trouble." It is the myth of womenls masochism that encourages depersonalization and sexual objectification of women, devalues womens traditional roles, and justifies verbal and physical abuse of women. No woman escapes the insidiousness of the myth. As Caplan says "The belief that females seek out pain and suffering, that we have an inate need for misery, poisons every aspect of women's lives." NORTHERN WOMAN page 14 Beginning with an examination of the theoretical assumptions that misname women as masochists, Caplan then leads us through an analysis of women as mothers; our relationships with men; attitudes towards women's bodies; women as victims of violence; women at work; and women in therapy. Through case studies, research, and analysis of other theories and assumptions, the contradictions that women face are thoroughly discussed. We're damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't. "If you don't become a selfsacrificing mother (or a mother at all) you seriously risk being punished and considered unnatural. If partly to avoid such punishment, you become a mother, then you are punished by being given enormous responsibility, little appreciation, and a great deal of potential blame." If you don't sacrifice your needs for those of your husband, you are not a good wife. If you do you are called masochistic. If you are competent at work you become threatening to male coworkers (a castrating woman!), if you suppress your competence to encourage co-worker acceptance you have "a fear of success." If your partner batters you, you must have done something to cause it. If you stay in a battering relationship - even when there is no alternative - you'll be labelled a masochist. I urge anyone who has casually, jokingly, or seriously used the term masochistic in reference to their own or other women's behaviour to read this book. I wager you will think twice before using the term again. Further, as Caplan advises, we must challenge others who glibly or professionally - are quick with the masochist label. Rather, we must promote or force discussion on the real causes of women's unhappiness - our lack of economic, social and political power. Only when we understand and challenge the misogynest society that benefits from and perpetuates women's so-called masochism will we demand the radical changes that we require. The powerful forces working to restrict such change must be continually analyzed. For me, the most disturbing aspect of Caplan's book is the Afterword, where she describes the struggle that she and other women have been obliged to mount within the American Psychiatric Association to prevent the APA from adopting "masochistic personality disoreder" as a new official category of mental disorders. Reading this Afterword is a chilling experience, as we realize the powerful misogyny of the APA, it's influence of the mental health profession, and the resultant effect this can have on women who may seek professional help. As well as trying to adopt "masochistic personality disorder" - later renamed "self-defeating personality disorder" - two other categories were proposed. "Premenstrual dysphoric disorder", which would make PMS a psychiatric disorder, and "paraphilic coercive disorder" to be applied to a person "who had repeatedly raped or been preoccupied with fantasies of sexual coersion for at least six months.' (An insanity plea for rapists!) It was only after enormous efj fort by Caplan, by Jean Baker Miller, the APA Committee on Women, and other feminist mental health professionals that a partial victory was obtained. "Paraphilic coercive disorder" was discarded totally. The proposals to categorize "selfdefeating personality disorder" and "premenstrual dysphoric disorder" in the APA manual were defeated. However, they are to be included in the manual's appendix, which may raise the problem of psychiatrists accepting these terms as official. And, as Caplan points out, attempts may be made to accept these categories for inclusion in the next APA manual, to be published in 1990. Caplan emphasizes that she and other mental health professionals cannot relax, but must be on guard to continually fight this battle. Women owe Caplan a debt of gratitude for making us aware of this disturbing situation, and feminist groups should offer all appropriate support as this struggle goeS forward. 3tjF is -ttif ft- Book Store News Cont.Emily Nasrallah's FLIGHT AGAINST TIME is a story about the immigrant experience. Nasrallah was born in Kfeir village, South Lebanon. She has published ten books, and won many awards for her writing and journalism. Her home (along with her unpublished manuscripts) was completely destroyed by the war in 1982. When asked why she stayed in such a strife-torn country, she replied that, as a writer, she felt compelled to document the devastating effects of constant war, and in particular the effect on women and children. Nasrallah has repeatedly spoken out in favour of the rights for women in Lebanon. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Matching Canadian women writers create memorable women. This month's quiz is to match the novel's major character with the author. To really test you, the next step is to match character, author and title of the novel. There's a prize, for the first reader to send NWJ the correct answers to this quiz. Character Author Character Author 1. Minn Burge (a) Margaret Atwood 2. Evelyn Hall (b) Marie-Claire Blais 3. Naomi Nakane (c) Anne Cameron 4. Rose (d) Beatrice Culleton 5. Isobel Cleary (e) Marian Engel 6. Chiclet Gomez (1) Janet Turner Hospital 7. Marian McAlpine (g) Joy Kogawa 8. Pauline Archange (h) Margaret Laurence 9. Felicity (1) Alice Munro 10. April Raintree (j) Dorothy O'Connell 11. Anne Gray (k) Jane Rule 12. Stacey McAindra (1) Audrey Thomas Novel 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 7 A15,13 Ni W 0 ./%" A r A. G. AD E 1 I EHN 1 S u B ri NU _1_ y 13 0 0 17 5 ET c o By 1 tn. m E3 E. r7 oBoE PERT E .5 A E. o0p AF E 5 1_ 5 -r RE.HEAF6E E. A !L 7 A NI R. uLE ID the answers to the Woman Words crossword our in last issue. P o,L O o N' S v4 A F L E c. ; 0 o 7.1 Our apologies for neglecting to include R.1 13 E- E6 ) X T a w 0' HEE A L. RoN LA51 0NE N aaT L._ A 0yA ViA,7 E 6 NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �CASSETTES AVAILABLE AT THE NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY '=_II 11 fil LANIICCILICNIIII Of Films 1JedlIfig WIER INOMCITUS 1984 1985 1985 Delia spent years counselling women to confront their alcoholism and drug addiction while ignoring her own alcoholism. Fi- 12 min. Delia their sobriety is a renewed commitment to their Native Indian culture. sense of self-worth and helping to maintain addiction. A factor contributing to their Recovering alcoholics, two sisters talk about their battle to shake alcohol and drug 15 min Debby and Sharon Related to Turnaround: A Story of Recovery, this series of four films focusses on individual women who are recovering from drug or alcohol dependency. The Recovery Series Aurora House, a residential treatment centre in Vancouver, these women are learning to face painful truths. on alcohol, prescription medication, street drugs, or a combination of these. Living in Five women were brought together by a common illness - all had a dependence 47 min. Turnaround: A Story of Recovery 1985 Office national du film du Canada Well-DeIng 1985 Ontario, the film looks at providing 1985 the NFB office closest to you. March, 1987. For more information, contact also be available from NFB offices as of 16 mm from all National Film Board offices in Canada. Video rental, in VHS format, will These films are available for free loan in therapy for offenders are part of this city's attempt to break the cycle of violence. in London, Ontario. Services for victims and A co-ordinated effort by police, lawyers, doctors and social workers has resulted in an effective response to woman-battering 28 min. Moving On shelter and services for battered women in rural, northern, and native communities. in Filmed in Thompson and Portage La Prairie in Manitoba, and West Bay Reserve 28 min. A Safe Distance taining support and counselling. as a safe place for sharing experiences, ob- Sylvie recreates her experience as a battered woman seeking help at a Montreal transition house. This film emphasizes the importance of women speaking out and points out the role of the transition house 28 mm. Sylvie's1985 Story their lives. support services victims need to rebuild A series of three films that deal with the nature and scope of woman-battering and the The Next Step THE WOMEN'S BODY POLITIC 1985 D.E.S.: An Uncertain Legacy 55 min. in Between 1941 and 1971, a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol or D.E.S., was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. This practice resulted numerous cases of reproductive and genital abnormalities. This film looks at the development, marketing and medical consequences of D.E.S. 1985 The Best Time of My Life: Portraits of Women in Mid-life 58 min. Reflecting a wide range of income levels, lifestyles, careers and backgrounds, ten women in their middle years share their experiences of menopause. 1986 Is It Hot In Here? A Film About Menopause 36 min. One of the least understood and most universal of women's experiences is menopause. This film is an informative and sometimes humorous look at contemporary social attitudes, symptoms and treatments relating to menopause. 1984 Abortion: Stories from North and South 55 min. treatment that enabled her to gradually build a new life for herself and her son. nally she quit her job and sought the Of the estimated 30 to 50 million induced abortions performed annually, more than half are illegal, and an estimated 84,000 of 1985 Lorri Ruth National Film Board of Canada joined Alcoholics Anonymous. prostitution, Ruth turned to alcohol and drugs. After 18 years of addiction she cape from painful memories of childhood physical, mental and sexual abuse, and At 14 years of age and in search of an es- 14 min. Humiliated by her inability to control her drinking, and feeling confused and suicidal, Lorri committed herself to a psychiatric ward of a hospital, where she recovered. 14 min. them result in death. Filmed in Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Colombia and Canada, this film is a survey of the realities of abortion. Spirit of the Kata 28 mm. 1985 Five women, all black belts of world-class calibre, discuss how an ancient martial art has transformed their lives. NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney: (902) 564-7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook: (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown: (902) 892-6612 - Montreal: (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec: (418) 648-3176 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn: (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-4915 - Trois-Rivieres: (819) 375-5714 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawa: (613) 996-4863 - Hamilton: (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-2771 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472-4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 949-4129 - Regina: (306) 780-5012 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 Calgary: (403) 292-5338 - Edmonton: (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver: (604) 666-0718 - Prince George: (604) 564-5657 - Victoria: (604) 388-3869 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class MAL Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 YOUR VOICE p3 PAY EQUITY p5 UPDATE p6 MICHIGAN WOMYN'S FESTIVAL p7 LEGALLY YOURS/WRITER IN RESIDENCE p8 NO PASERAN RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: p10 IN SEARCH OF A R.E.A.L. WOMAN Name Address pll INTERWEAVE p12 ABORTION ACCESS (postal mode) p14 BOOK REVIEW ladIvidaal $ 5 o lasdtettlooal $10 0 p15 QUIZ ************************************ * WORKERS THIS ISSUE: TANYA SHAW CAROLYN GREENWOOD MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST MARGARET PHILLIPS ROSEMARY PITTIS t *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * * * * t t*********************************** Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOURISSUES) $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 4 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (October 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Pay Equity Feminist book list Women’s Place Kenora Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Legal name change World Congress of Women, Moscow Poetry R.E.A.L. women Abortion access INTERWEAVE solidarity initiative Powell Report Book review of The Myth of Women’s Masochism by Paula J. Caplan Feminist film list Authors/Contributors: Liz Poulin Rose Pittis Lynn Beak Josie Wallenius Susan Collins Teresa Mallam Rosalyn Taylor Perrett Margaret Phillips Tanya Shaw Carolyn Greenwood Mary-ann Kleyendorst Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-10 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2801/1987_Vol_11_No_1.pdf 6b80b6abebbd1557ffe94aee3e4fe79d PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal December 1987 Vol. 11 No. Thunder Bay, Ont. 1 tf.,2_57 A- $1.50 (jet1 /.4e K PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Superior Art Collection Press Release You've heard of tailor-made suits, custom-made cars, personalized license plates and designer sheets... Now, some lucky person can get a valuable designer custom-made work of art in a novel fundraising effort announced by the Northern Women's Centre. It's called the Superior Art Collection and involves four local women artists. Three of the works were on display at the Meet-TheArtists Night in October. One was missing...because it hasn't been made yet. That's because fabric and tapestry artist SASHA MCINNES plans to go to the winner's home, inspect the room and its atmosphere, and then design a wall-hanging specifically for that room. McInnes started in the 60s studying weaving in a small village in Peru. Since then her work has been hung extensively in southern Ontario galleries and exhibits and even Premier David Peterson's office. Now a resident of Thunder Bay, she sits on the Ontario Arts Council and the advisory committee for the National Film Board of Canada. Over the years, she has donated over $25,000 worth of art to feminist organizations. However, this is only the second time the artist has donated a customdesigned piece. "I Aid this once before in London, Ontario and the idea really caught on," said McInnes. There will be three other winners in this raffle as well. Local visual artist LORI GILBERT, whose work focuses on portraits influenced by television and old movies, will be donating a portrait of Marlene Deitrich. Gilbert graduated from Lakehead University in 1985 with an honours bachelor of arts as a painting major and participated in many local exhibits including the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Native artist REBECCA BELMORE studied at the Ontario College of Art and won the 1984 Special Juror's Award from the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. She integrates the modern world and the native experience with wit in her art, evident in titles like "I'm a High Tech Tepee Trauma Mama." Belmore will be donating a drawing. The fourth local artist LYNN SHARMAN is currently displaying her work at the Definitely Superior Art Gallery. She will be donating a colour collage. The draw date for the Superior Art Collection is May 24th, taking place at 8 p.m. at the Women's Centre 184 Camelot Street. There will be a total of four winners-one work of art -h.,711"4 Ct v)4. By SASHA McINNES PVp0 talk. Dear Northern Women' A great wk-end with Noreen has put me in the mood to embrace you, if not physically at a distance. It was wonderful to share with her growing network of women in this area who, without too much effort on my part use me as a resource for woman each. The winner need not be in att4 dance. Tickets are $2 each and are available at: the Northern Women's Bookstore or from any Northern Womei Centre volunteer. This is the first major fundra: sing event of the reorganized Women Centre in an effort to broaden theirevenue base beyond government fund: and "get more involvement from the community," said Joan Baril, projec coordinator. The Northern Women's Centre, e! tablished 1973, is a lobbying and support organization for area women For further information contac Joan Baril at 475-6368 or 344-6708, or call Carol Rusak at 475-6382. This has come about entirely as result of the poetry and of course that very prestigious award. I find myself in the position of being taken for granted that I am (1) political, (2) Radical Feminist, which I affirm, (3) Having Crone sight for the spiritual. With all of this I have an interesting journey before me. Many avenues of personal growth in the old religion to explore and the part Dominion Over has played in our oppression. I write letters to the Editor under the pen name Minerva. I can tell both church and state to get their sticky fingers out of our reproductive organs with out getting stoned which could very well happen in this province. My spare bedroom is well used by sisters from out of ONC? c, town just starving for feminist con versation, my bookshelf is current, Sonia Johnsons, Going out of Our Mi and Dalys Pure Lust. As well as Mo er Wit and Starhawks wisdom. The Unitarian Church is very open to the new age they use my poetry for some services and I have a little space in their monthly newsletter. The poetry group I belong to no longer write moon june and flowers they are into justice and dominatio great stuff. Was happy you lost your funding, life is boring when it is predictable. all my love to the Northern Womb that born me Gert Beadl NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �EQUALITY AT RISK? THE MEECH LAKE ACCORD The following article has been provided by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Constitution. WHAT WOMEN'S GROUPS ARE SAYING Women's groups across the country have welcomed the Meech Lake Accord for explicitly recognizing Quebec in the Constitution and for acknowledging that Quebec is a distinct society in Canada. But women are insisting that our government clarify the Accord's language and remove any potential risks to our rights. WHAT HAPPENED AT MEECH LAKE? Our governments agreed how to recognize Quebec in the Constitution. They agreed in clause 1 of the Accord that Canada's English and French speaking cultures are a "fundamental characteristic" of Canada, that Quebec is a "distinct society" within Canada, and that federal and provincial governments have roles in maintaining these characteristics. Then, in response to concerns raised by multicultural and native groups, they agreed in clause 16 of of the Accord that future interpretations of these provisions must not affect the rights of these groups. SO HOW IS IT THAT WOMEN'S RIGHTS MAY BE AT RISK? After the Accord was signed on June 3, 1987 and after it was ratified by Quebec on June 23, two things happened that our governments didn't anticipate. First, some Constitutional experts became convinced that the Accord's language puts at risk rights in the Constitutional Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Because some Charter rights (native and multicultural) are given special attention in Clause 16 and others aren't, normal legal practice would mean that other rights as guaranteed in the Charter would not have to be applied to clause 1 with equal care. In fact it is argued that these rights just might not be applied - because elsewhere in the Accord, if the Charter is intended to apply, the Accord says so! (Some governments' advisors have said the rights protected in clause 16 are collective, cultural, and give direction on interpreting law in a cultural and linguistic context. This, they argue, makes them different from women's rights and that's why women's rights aren't mentioned in clause 16. Some experts disagree and also point out that the Courts make no such definitive distinctions - so why should the Accord?) Second, on June 27th, in "the Ontario Bill 30 case", the majority opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada said that sections of the 1867 Constitution Act which are part of the "fundamental compromise" of Confederation are "immune from review", or unaffected, by the Charter of Rights. This may mean any time any government is operating within such sections, including any activities added by clause 1 of the Meech Lake Accord, it might be able to affect Charterbased equality rights. CONCLUSION Women believe that the Accord may risk our rights. We cannot conceive of any reason why Canada's governments should wish Canadian women to bear any risk to our rights, no matter how small some may think this to be. OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE A DUTY TO FIX THE ACCORD BY CLARIFYING ITS LANGUAGE TO ENSURE OUR RIGHTS. Editor's Note. We understand that the Ontario government will hold Hearings on the Accord early in 1988. Women's groups should prepare now to make presentations to the Hearings. For more information contact the Ad Hoc Committee of Women on the Constitution, 118 Spruce St., Toronto, M5A 2J5, phone Pat Hacker or Linda Nye (416) 960-8417. .#....*******t*****.,,.******,.*****.*******.*********.***#*,*****..*****.*********+*#*#*.o.*****#***************** Most Important Books II I II III III by MARGARET PHILLIPS People who are "readers" love to know what other "readers" are reading. The casual question "What have you read this month?" or "What is your favourite novel?" can promote hours of animated conversation. With this in mind I decided to do a small survey for the Journal. I called a number of readers I know and suggested the following scenario: "Imagine that your entire personal library has disappeared. However, two friends are going to start re-building your library by giving you books for Christmas. What two books will you choose? Why?" Here are the responses. (I do apologize to my friends who became panic-stricken at the thought of losing their libraries.) Joan Baril: MAN MADE LANGUAGE by Dale Spender "because it unlocks the mystery of exactly how men have oppressed women through language". and NOT IN GOD'S IMAGE by Julia O'Faolian, which "is the best analysis I have read ... has an excellent grasp ... a historical sweep." Donna Phoenix: DREAMING THE DARK by Starhawk, "an empowering book .. .. made me feel I can do anything", MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley, "..took me away... and changed history." Lisa Bengtsson: FEMINIST THEORISTS, edited by Dale Spender. "History unfolded. I keep going back to it." SALT AND YEAST by Gert Beadle ".. is symbolic, the spirit of the times, and the connections I made with women all over Northwestern Ontario." Teresa Legowski: MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley. "I just loved it .. it's so well written, well researched. It's MAGIC. It has everything I like about a book. THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK by Doris Lessing "is so powerful... very deep in exploring the psyche... fascinating from all aspects. Josie Wallenius: HOW THE OTHER HALF DIES by Susan George. "George wanted to understand for herself what was wrong with development, so she closeted herself and read and read, and she felt compelled to write a book about it. Everyone should read this." I, RIGOBERTA MENCHU "is a personal testimony of a Guatemalan woman about her life and the Indian people's struggle. It was hard to read this book but I'm glad I did. There is a message... and I heard the message." Helen Halet: MOTHERPEACE by Vicki Noble and THE GUIDE TO THE I CHING by Carol Anthony "because these are the tools I use and need on my journey down the path of life." Donna Gilhooly: BURGER'S DAUGHTER by Nadine Gordimer .."really awakened me to the issue of apartheid. Gordimer is one of the best writers alive.': THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS by Gertrude Stein, "gave me personal insight into the lives of writers and artists of a famous period ... and still has impact today in terms of painting I like and what I read." Prue Morton: THE STONE ANGEL by Margaret Laurence, "gives a wonderful picture - in relationship to their former lives - of the difficulty experienced by no longer being independent", and MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot "is a truly wonderful book." Karen Maki: A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE by Anais Nin, " ..it's like an intellectual conversation with herself ... I was fascinated because when I re-read this I found it completely different from the first time I read it. Finally my own choices: THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK by Doris Lessing, which caused me to begin to understand the universality of all women's lives, an analysis I keep trying to mature; and SURFACING by Margaret Atwood, for the same reason, and besides it is so wonderfully Canadian. NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Bill 7 :Real Protection for Lesbians? by Cindy Moriarty Reprinted from"breaking the silence" On December 18, 1986, after a year of discussion, debate, vicious attack and spirited support, the Human Rights Code of Ontario was amended to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The new legislation guarantees homosexuals rights to housing, employment, services, contracts, and membership in vocational groups such as trade unions and professional associations. As a lesbian working in the office of the MPP who introduced the amendment Bill 7, to Ontario's Human Rights Code, I was privy to a unique view of the lobbying that occurred beforehand. Across Ontario, there were equal numbers of proponents and opponents. Since my boss, Evelyn Gigantes (NDP, Ottawa Centre) introduced Bill 7, her support was guaranteed. Those supporting the Bill wisely chose to direct their lobbying efforts elsewhere. The opponents, however, were another story. Our office was inundated with calls and mail voicing fear, hate, distortion and every once in a while, hostile civility. The lobby against the amendment was closely connected to the antifeminist movement. In the Ontario Legislature, Evelyn Gigantes said: "The sexual pecking order is intimately linked to the economic pecking order of our society. Any man who declares that he is not a fullblooded man of whatever macho notion is, simply, a traitor to the most important system. It is the ultimate act of treason to the system. The system is one which connects the notion of men's "ownership" rights and role in the family structure, with the rights and privileges of owners in the economy... women don't rate as traitors. They can be rebels against authority, but not traitors because it's not their system. ...There are 125 elected representatives in the Ontario Legislature; 10 are women. If the sexual numbers and the social powers were reversed, I believe the clauses of section 18 relating to sexual orientation might not even be necessary. ...It is the maleness of economic and social domination of our society that is threatened by this reform, not the womanness or the childness, but the maleness that so profits by its domination through being male."1 ...little thought to lesbians. Opponents saw homosexuality, at best, as unnatural; at worst, as the root of all evil, responsible for the destruction of society, and as the leading cause of child molestation. Among this homophobic insanity one thing was abundantly clear: people thought the bill concerned gays; they gave little thought to lesbians. Over the years I have learned, personally and politically, all about lesbian invisibility, but it has never been so clear to me as during the lobbying process. As a feminist, I've been speaking and educating and rabble-rousing for years. I've dealt with all sorts of confrontations and attacks for my beliefs, As my life has changed, I have gained the "privilege" of dealing with issues on a quasi-intellectual level. Reaction to the Bill eroded my intellectual armour and everything was brought down to gut-level emotions. I was exposed daily to raw hate and fear that bordered on panic. The ugliness and distortion often made it impossible to comprehend the limits of human tolerance. No knowledge, intellectual understanding or analysis hits home like knowledge of the heart. For me that knowledge came with identifying myself as a lesbian. Lesbians are women, and women have never been a big deal (except to other women). Men were the big deal. Gay Men. Depraved men assaulting young boys. Assaulting young girls and women has never been a big deal. closet, but'a lesbian has to be pretty much "out" to lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.The woman whose personal security is threatened unless she keeps her lifestyle private, will not be able to walk into her office and ask that her lover be covered under the pension plan. Landlords and employers can always find other avenues of discrimination and other reasons for dismissal or eviction. The law does not protect us against exile and family outrage. Often, we will be on trial and we will still have to prove our "innocence." .. qualified optimism. EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) is a national lobbying group based in Ottawa that co-ordinated a tremendous campaign around Bill 7 and is continuing its efforts on the federal level. Debbie Hughes of EGALE expressed qualified optimism. She sees Bill 7 as helpful, but is not convinced it will change much without federal legislation. "You have to be out to use Bill 7 and in order to be out you have to be very vulnerable." Ironically, Hughes says homophobic hysteria might ultimately work in our favour. She explains that legislators who might not no have voted in favour of the Bill did so in reaction to the hatre and viciousness expressed by the opposition. The more hysterical and vindictive those lobbying against the Pill became, the more apparent it was to the fence sitters where logic lay. From R.EA.L. Women to religious and business coalitions, the opposition stormed Queen's Park, but like all storms their protest blew over and the skies cleared with the passing of the Bill. Does the new legislation mean protection for gays and lesbians under the Human Rights Code? I believe the legislation has provided us with a battle-ground and not necessarily a victory. The onus remains on us to complain against discrimination to the Human Rights Commission. While the Bill provides a signal to employers, service deliverers and legislators, it does not solve an age-old problem. Rather, it provides a starting point for discussion and reform. It brings the issue out of the And what impact will Bill 7 have on the Charter of Rights? Speculator wonder about past provincial cases and the implications of Bill 7 befor the federal courts. Federal government policy says that "sexual orientation is irrelevant to whether one can perform a job or use a service or facility." Further, "sexual orientation is not grounds for denial of security clearance, or basis for discrimination within federal jurisdiction"2 Discrimination continues in employment practices, particularly within the RCMP and armed services. Federal policy may not be law, but I would wager it's one of the few federal government policies that can be so blatantly ignored by its own ministries. continued on p15 NORTHERN WOMAN page 4 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, �Swimming Up St r Keynote addka to the INTERWEAVE ConAekence had Octobek 1987, by Makiana Vatvekde The title of my talk tonight is Swimming Upstream: Women's Collectives and Class, Race and the State. I would like to begin by relating an anecdote, a common incident, and unpacking that to get at the larger problems of trying to organize women's collectives in a social system that encourages neither women nor collectives, much less the combination of both. A few years ago I went with a couple of other women from my group (the International Women's Day Committee in Toronto) to open a bank account. The clerk got out some forms for us to fill out. We were first asked if we were a business. "Not really" was the sheepish answer. "We're more like a non-profit organization, and we're not incorporated". She looked at us and said "Well, all right. Then I only need the signature of the president, vice-president and secretary." So we looked at each other, smiled, and quickly came to an artibrary decision about who would put her name to each of these alien categories. Thee clerk, needless to say, couldn't understand why we were amused. Two conclusions arise from this. First, the hank does not exist to serve customers like us. It is there to make profits by providing a service, primarily to other businesses and secondarily to individuals. With the remarkable flexibility of modern capitalism, it does allow for the existence of alternative forms among their customers, such as non-profit, nonincorporated groups; but it first has to symbolically destroy our collective structure and replace it by the hierarchial form which is the only valid one in its books. Secondly, the bank not only fails to recognize collectives, but, more importantly for the clerk, it is itself not a collective. One could go on to analyze our interaction with the bank to reveal other levels of anti-collective and anti-woman structures. For instance, we could find out how the government's agencies for financial institutions reinforce the bank's insistence on hierarchy through laws and regulations that define who the band can deal with and how. This would lead us into the terrain of "the state". Then, while standing around at the counter, we could note that not everyone at this bank does the same work or has the same authority - certain people sit at desks and have their own office and phone, while others stand all day and process papers according to what appear to be routine procedures rather than intelligent decisions. Having noticed the texture of class relations, we could go on to note the ethnicity and gender of the two main class groups in evidence, i.e. clerks vs managers, and begin to theorize the relationship between class on the one hand and ethnicity and gender on the other. In the incident I have described, gender was not the main dividing line. There were no men present (at this particular branch even the manager is a woman), and whether our group was mostly men or mostly women was not relevant - though of course it would be very relevant in other contexts. But the crucial contradiction here was not between women and patriarchy but rather between a highly sophisicated capitalist structure (the Canadian Imperialist Bank of Commerce, to be precise) and a small organization based on the rejection of both individualism and hierarchy, the twin organizing principles of capitalist social relations. It's important to realize that many of the problems we experience in trying to function according to "feminist" principles are not caused by our own failings as individuals or as groups, nor are they due to inadequacies in feminist theory. Rather, most of what we think of as "our" problems are inevitable results of the social structures of bourgeois society, which I would define as a society in which the economic and cultural values of the bourgeoisie appear to be everyone's values, universal values. Bourgeois society imposes serious limitations on our ability to organize. It does not do so (usually) by the use of brute force against groups like ours. (Although it must be noted that force is always there in the background - for instance, the leaders of CUPW recently faced going to jail for defying back-to-work legislation; and more relevant to my example of opening a bank account, the new legislation states that anyone defying it cannot hold union office for five years - a clear case of the government imposing a certain form of organization on a group.) But direct force is seldom used in our society; it doesn't have to be used. The structures of capitalist economic relations and bourgeois social relations are like the walls of the houses we live in, or like the design of streets and sidewalks - we are so used to them, and they are so cleverly disguised as aids to facilitate safety and order, that we forget that they confine us, that we forget to ask who put them there and for what purpose. It is by surrounding us with social structures that appear as natural and normal that the bourgeosie can continue to rule with the consent of the ruled - for who will rebel against what is natural and normal? This process of disguising what is good for business as what is good for everyone is what is known in Marxist theory as "hegemony" - the subtle process by which a ruling class generates consent rather than opposition Patriarchy too is most effective when it can rule through hegemony, rather than through the direct coercion of women. And in a capitalist patriarchal system as sophisticated as the one in which we live, it can take a great deal of effort to expose the mechanisms of hegemony - to give a small example, it took me a while to unpack the interaction that took place between the collective and the bank. There are some women, some feminists, who are not interested in challenging the mechanisms of hegemony. Many people would rather not question these allegedly neutral structures, which do indeed facilitate business transactions such as opening an account, and which even allow us to have a collective, as long as we don't question the structures of capital. Some feminists want to be allowed access to the system as it exists, to share the economic and social power now exercised primarily by men. But I, and I suspect most of us here, are more interested in changing both the SOURCES anti the STRUCTURES of power. And that will involve destroying the structures that have determined and limited our political work, and replacing them by truly democratic structures that empower people. Our goal is women's liberation (as opposed to women's access to the status quo, which is not liberation but merely participation). This goal necessarily involves not only modifying but revolutionizing the economic structure of our society. In our society human needs are only met if, and insofar as, meeting them happens to create a profit for corporations. The profit motive needs to be replaced by the only legitimate motive of economic life, i.e. meeting human needs. Once we determine our goal in economic policy, we can devise new structures that facilitate this goal. This does not mean that we all have to take Karl Marx for our Bible K or believe that the Soviet Union is paradise. Marx himself said that to be a socialist was "not to create recipes for the kitchens of the future" but rather to clearly oppose the inhuman aspects of capitalist society. Feminists may or may not be Marxists, may or may not think that so-called socialist societies have improved the condition of women: but any feminist who wants to change the structures of power as opposed to participating in them has to be anticapitalist. cont'd on pg. 13 NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �By Joni Mace The Ministry of Community and Social Services announced recently that a new set of provincial guidelines have been set up, and are in effect as of November 1, 1987. The new provincial guidelines create a change in the implementation of welfare workers responsibilities, which included inspecting the homes of recipients for signs of live-in companions. Pre-Guideline rules forbade recipients from sharing residence as the live-in companion was assumed to be contributing to the welfare recipient's income. Any recipient found to be living with someone, immedietely had their welfare income cut. The guidelines change this in that it now allows the recipient to have a line -in companion as long as they reside together less than three years. After three years the relationship is considered common law, and the couple is legally obliged to share support. Ontario s the first province to enact the policy which has particular significance to women- rierze guidelines prevent inspectors from using a woman's sex live to determine her eligibility for welfare. A single woman can now be denied welfare-only,if she lives with someone who is legally obliged to support her or her children or provide a significant economic contribution to the household. About'50% of municipalities who administer welfare oppose the policy complaining that it will cause increased workloads and encourage "cheating", as it is possible for one person to be employed full-time with another in the same household collecting public assistance. The changes are expected to ell.-tend eligibility for benefits to 99000 sole-support parents in Ontario by spring of 1989. A new national action group wants to help 95,000 Canadian women who missed filing a claim against the manufacturer of the Dalkon Shield. Dalkon Shield Action Canada was begun after an unsuccessful attempt to have the filing date of April 30, 1986 extended. The group is trying to reach the women who missed the date. The lawyer appealing the decision is optimistic, and is supported by a growing national membership in Dalkon Shield Action Canada. For further information write Dalkon Shield Action Canada c/o Vancouver Women's Health Collective 888 Burrard St. Vancouver, BC V62 1X9. Thunder Bay resident Susan Collins whose work has appeared many times in Northern Woman Journal, has had a short story accepted for publication recently. The Labour, a piece that appeared in the Journal a few years ago was accepted by Fitzhenry and Whiteside for their Canadian Anthology titled Celebrating_ Canadian Women. We congratulate Susan, and wish her luck with future work. The National Organization for Women in its 20th anniversary year has produces a video cassette commemorating two decades of progress for women's rights, as well as a look to the future. The NOW news release describes th-l.s video, based on the December 1, 1986 show featuring more than 100 actors and entertainers, as'a serious, yet humorous look at women's lives over the past 20 years. The film features celebritInies describing landmark events. terspersed with historical film clips, two major film essays narrated by Marlo Thomas (one on the Vermont state ERA campaign and one on Title IX), a monologue by Lily Tomlin and an inspirational speech by NOW President Eleanor Smeal. Also in the video are five musical numbers-- "Miss Celie's Blues" performed by Marlette Hartley, "I am Woman" performed by Helen Reddy, and "Sisters are Doing It For Themselves" performed by Mara Getz and Alaina Reed, "All Girl Band" performed by Edie Adams, Alaina Reed and Jackee Harry, and "Together We Can Make the Dream Come True", a song written especially for the show by Melissa Manchester and Carol Bayer Sager, and performed by Ms. Manchester -all accompanied by a 31-piece orchestra conducted by Peter Matz, The show was written specifically to include historical glimpses of the whole period and many issues. of the women's rights movement. The videocassette itself is a part of living history -- suitable for classrooms, public events and individual entertainment. Inquiries may be directed to: Peg Yorkin Productions 8105 West Third St. Suite i1 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Every two years, since 1984, women involved in feminist publishing meet at an International Feminist Book Fair. The first fair was held in London in 1984, the second in Oslo in 1986, and the third is being planned for June 14-21, 1988 in Montreal. Bringing together editors of books, magazines and newspapers with writers, translators, distributors and booksellers from around the world, the International Feminist Book Fair provides a unique forum for feminists to network and discover each other's work at the same time as making feminist authors known to a wider audience. The event permits an exchange across continents, languages and discip- The two official language will be French and English but we hope to hold some events in Spanish We are committed to facilitating fruitful and thought-provoking exchanges amongst feminists and lesbians through the conferences, readings, and panels that will be held during the week. We wish to provid a forum in which a diversity of voices can be heard, especially those which are so often censored elsewhere. In order to organize this even the fair organizers are urgently in need of funds Your contribution can help send out press releases, make the necessary international contacts and pay the Xerox and Government grants phone bills are pending, but private funds will be vital to the success of the Book Fair. Needless to say, the sooner Contributors' names the better! will be published in the official program of the Fair unless requested otherwise. (Send donations to: International Feminist Book Fair, 420 est, rue Rachel, Montreal Quebec, H2J 2G7, or call (514) 844America. . 3277). (Broadside, Oct. 1987) The Gallerie Annual is a new women's publication devoted to women's art and women artists. Gallerie will be published once a year, with the first issue appearir, in June 1988. The magazine will feature approximately 40 women artists. Most of the publication will be filled with photographs of their work, alongside their own descriptions of their art and their philosophy. Gallerie will also include articles addressing issued of lesbian cultur and history, women's cultural organ izations, our autonomous culture an women in popular culture, the avent garde, and mass media. Gallerie will also publish ann ouncements and advertisements from women's presses, women's galleries, women's music distributors, and oth cultural organizations that promote and encourage the work of women artists. Gallerie is now calling for en tries from all women artists regardless of medium. Information on how to submit can be obtained from Gallerie Publications 2901 Panorama Dr. North Vancouver, BC V7G 2A4 lines. The third Fair remains committed to the international character of the previous fairs, reflecting the plurality of woman's experience from various cultural and economic backgrounds. As this is the first time it will be held on the American continent, a special invitation is extended to women from Latin Healthsharing Cont'd on pg. NORTHERN WOMAN page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Ontario Women's Directorate With this issue, the Ontario Women's Directorate commences its sponsorship of this page in the Journal. We intend to provide news items on issues of interest to women in the north - and hope to receive help. If you have any information to go on this page, (or even a title for it) please call us collect at 475-1481. HAPPY READING - Lynn Beak, Rae Anne Honey and Judy Decicco itiriOriOriggiFriPriP710KIOKIPIPIPAPI CONGRATULATIONS WOMEN'S PLACE KENORA After working for years for women in the north, Women's Place finally has a PLACE - it's large warm and wonderful. Thanks for asking us to be part of the official opening. Congratulations to all who have worked so hard for so long. May you continue in the spirit of women. OWD COMMUNITY GRANTS COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM funds community-based activities which enrich the economic, legal and social equality of women. Priority issue projects such as employment, family violence, child care should target the needs of women - northern, native, low income, visible minority, immigrant, disabled and elderly women. This year funding has been provided to the following: Rural Women's Network - a conference attended by approximately 80 rural and urban women, was an information sharing and support system for a network of women in the Rainy River/Fort Francis district. Women's Centre Interweave conference of provincial women's centres focused on the future of RESOURCE CENTRE The Northern Office has an extensive collection of publications, articles, books and audiovisual materials. Items may be borrowed from the centre for a period of two weeks. The most recent publications are in boxes waiting for the move to our new space on Johnson Avenue. Some of the new additions are: Women and Mental Health in Canada: Strategies for Change. CMHA, April 1987. Proceedings of the National Consultation on Women and Drugs, Health and Welfare Canada, 1987. Economic Status of Native Women in Ontario Marriage as an Equal Partnership, A Guide to the Family Law Act, Ministry of the Attorney General, 1987 Support and Custody Enforcement Program, Ministry of the Attorney General, 1987. Where Do I Stand? A child's legal guide to separation and divorce, Ministry of the Attorney General, ................. 1987 UPCOMING EVENTS Women's Health Information Network2nd Annual Health Conference HEALTHY HERIZONS January 29, 30, 31, 1988 Ramada Inn Training seminar on PAY EQUITYco-sponsored by Ontario Women's Directorate, Lakehead University, City of Thunder Bay and the Industrial and Business Training Department of Confederation College January 22, 1988 Seminar Centre of Confederation College SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT UPDATE On November 30, 1987 women trying to locate spouses who have defaulted on alimony or child support will have access to federal government data banks to assist in locating the defaulter. The Support Enforcement office in Thunder Bay (1-800-465-6828) can obtain this information. Next year, women will be able to garnishee unemployment insurance payments, tax refunds, pension cheques and other federal benefits for unpaid support. NATIVE FAMILY VIOLENCE HELLO! WE NEED YOUR HELP. The Ontario Native Women's Association is currently conducting preliminary research into Native Family Violence. If you are aware of any research, material or conferences scheduled in the past, present, or for the future, please call us COLLECT at (807) 345-9821...Philip or Jessie. umm..amm..401...4111111110-4111111111414111. 1987 EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AWARDS The Directorate has been encouraging the planning, development and expansion of employment equity programs in Ontario's public and private sectors. The winners of the 1987 Employment Equity Awards have implemented employment equity programs that fit the needs of and benefit both employees and employer. They are: .WATERLOO COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION .CITY OF OTTAWA .GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA LTD and THE CANADIAN AUTO WORKERS UNION .DUPONT CANADA INC. Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum 1988 February 5 and 6 Red Oak Inn centres. Les Elles du Nord-87 francophone women from Geraldton, Nakina and Longlac gathered to share information, experiences and provide encouragement in decisionmaking on women's issues. Sasha McInnes received funding to assist in the completion of her works to be on display at the London Regional Art Gallery and Ontario North. Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Committee Forum regional representatives met in Thunder Bay to strategize around the day care Family Law Workshop for Ethnic Women Saturday March 5 from 9:00-1:00 Shuniah Building, Confederation College Women in Unions: Participation, Power, Payoff District Conference March 11, 12 and 13 Valhalla Inn - Planned Spring conference of Northern Ontario Women - WATCH FOR TIME AND PLACE issue. Women and Disabilities conference held in April focused on identified concerns with workshop on assertiveness, communications and sexuality. The Cycle of Violence conference coordinated by the Interagency Education Organization was held in October to create greater awareness, understanding and sensitivity about the issue of family violence among the helping professions. Women's Health Information Network (WHIN) will be hosting Healthy Herizons in late January 1988. FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION The Directorate will again be awarding grants to community based groups to sponsor local events during FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SUMMER EXPERIENCE 1988 The DireCtorate is hoping to have funding for Summer Experience student grants in 1988. In the past, we have funded a student who researched the needs of ex-residents for Faye Peterson House, a student who coordinated a conference for the Women's Health Information Network and three students who developed child care programs in the crisis centres for battered women in Atikokan, Dryden and Sioux'Lookout. If your organization is interested, contact our office for further information in March 1988. MONTH. Grants allow groups to continue to heighten awareness about wife assault and to mobilize support from the community in an effort to prevent this serious social problem. Last year funding was provided to projects ranging from panel discussions, advertisements in local media, production of brochures, to posters and videos. This page is sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The material contained on it may be photocopied and distributed without permission, but with credit to the original source or the Ontario Women's Directorate. NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �HOME VIDEO equation(s) un dying Caresses are revolutionary. If there were three sexes I would be...triactual. I slip through the ice to caress your foot (counting the bones in my hand I lose sight of your other words). The opening grows and I am at your knees reaching up slowly to draw a breath I put on you. my tongue on your (breath) and begin to pull, back and forth, to be shouldered on an even flight above the surface of the thinly frozen water we divide. You ask me if I fished as a child and I look behind your eyes. The pike streaming its way across your lake bottom glows and fans a trail of ack-ack torpedoes (milk drops). We are fish on manoeuvre. Above the water line the two people look for condoms knowing the Shakesperian "to die" "to die in your arms" means I could die you could die. Dying to know who killed us Narcissus moves into fourth gear on all terrain. Your flight into my fancy has all the grace of a tank muffling the noise of its warring advance with chamois treads a pair of never-ending skin mukluks that rotate and grind the earth without a sound. I am lying here in the earth smelling the wind until you decipher the true meaning of the word camouflage. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �I hide behind a rock disguise myself with grey stone face/ lattice lichen hair I hover while you advance onyour true course.. glancing at the control panel, turning what you think are the right knobs to the East to the West, a book lying open in your palm lap. I am earth. I have begun my descent to the bottom-most layer of my mother's crust. I will rise again and with my spirit eye my fingers will push forth green sprout buddings & raw red bleeding flowers will heal the snow. If you blast them with fire, flame-thrower, I will reach around the damp underside of a rotting log and place clots of decomposing wood on your eyes until you heal. You throw your voice. The lines you quote in dense support of your open book theory are the same ones that suffocated your mother, now at work, unseen. I ask simply that you place your hands on the outer edge of. a northern swamp make a triangle with your index fingers and thumbs and (facing North) consider your source. sharman (lynne) 11/28/87 0,4 0,-;0 NORTHERN )OMAN page 9 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DAY CARE NEWS By MARGARET PHILLIPS After four years in the making, the federal government, on December 3rd, 1987, finally unveiled its new child care "policy". Sadly, it is not a policy that will in any way solve the day care crisis that Canadians are experiencing. In fact, the implementation of this policy could be a serious set-back to the development of the comprehensive, quality, child care system we have long been advocating. $5.4 billion dollars to be spent over seven years. Sounds like a lot of money doesn't it? But when we also hear that $54 billion will be spent on submarines the perspective becomes clearer. Even the $5.4 billion figure is misleading because when you subtract (a) the $1 billion already in the system, and (b) the $2.3 billion allocated to tax breaks, it leaves only $2.1 billion to be spent on day care. We're told that over seven years this will create 200,000 new licensed day care spaces .. i.e. 28,570 spaces per year. Yet, at this moment, over 2,000,000 Canadian children require non-parental care for at least part of each week. Considering that only 50% of families might choose licensed day care it still means that 1,000,000 new day care spaces are needed right now. And we are expected to be grateful for 28,570 spaces? It is clear that the government chose not to listen to the recommendations made by day care parents and advocates. Having attended the Special Committee on Child Care hearings both in Dryden and Thunder Bay, I know what Northwestern Ontario parents said. Consistently, NWO representations advocated a comprehensive, high-quality, non-profit day care system. A system that provides a range of services to meet the needs of children of all ages and abilities. A system that is accessible to all families irrespective of their eco- nomic status, employment status or geographic residence. A system that is sensitive to the cultural and linguistic diversity of our society. A system that values the work of child care staff and rewards staff with adequate wages and benefits, A system that ensures parental involvement. In short, Northwestern Ontario parents want a COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM. Not one Northwestern Ontario representation recommended tax breaks. Yet more new $ are going to tax deductions and credits than will go to a day care system. While the child care tax deduction may be a politically popular move it must be understood that this deduction does not reimburse the child care fee, it simply reduces the amount of taxable income. Consequently this deduction is of most benefit to high income earners; low income people will receive little, if any, benefit. Further, tax deductions only serve families who are presently using receipted care (in the main those using licensed services, as baby-sitters rarely give receipts). Thus it primarily helps families using existing day care services... it will do nothing ase the availability of licensed, quality care. Then there is the matter of the tax credits .. available to low income families who don't use day care or use unregulated care. Let me state clearly that I am not against tax reform. Nor am I opposed to mothers who work only in the home being monetarily compensated for their valuable - and long unrecognized work. Although $100 a year is such sheer tokenism that it can scarcely be considered recognition. (In fact this $100 merely gives back the money that was taken away when family allowances were de-ind- What does this new child care policy mean for Northwestern Ontario It means that we must again scramble for whichever of these piece-meal me sures might provide us a little help The most positive initiative announced is the federal contribution to capital costs .. to be shared 75 %25% with the provinces. Hopefully some Northwestern Ontario communitie can benefit from this program. An initiative has also been pro mised for rural, native, special needs, and shift work programs. However the $ allocation is insufficien to address this priority need and will do little more than provide a few "pilot projects". The impact of the new policy is somewhat unclear in respect to commercial day care, with the issue being placed in the hands of the provinces. Some analysts suggest that the doors have been opened wide for commercial expansion. Clearly, this situation must be monitored closely and the Ontario government pressured to prevent the problem of commercial care developing in our region. Because of the federal government's piece-meal non-solution to the day care crisis, NWO day care ad vocates must continue to be vigilant in pressing for day care reform and new initiatives that will meet our needs. The new federal policy (along with provincial and municipal concerns) will be the subject of discussion at the Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum to be held in Thunder Bay in February. Readers interested in more information about the Forum should contact NWO R.D.C.0 Box 144, Thunder Bay, Ont. exed.) What I do object to is including tax breaks under the guise of day care initiatives. Tax reform is the jurisdiction of the Finance Minister. Child care is the jurisdiction of the Minister of Health and Welfare. They are separate concepts and must be viewed so. The result of lumping these concepts together is to pit at-home mothers against mothers in the labour force. Pitting women against women serves only the (male) politicians. It does not serve women. It certainly does not serve children. Listening to the public debate that is now flourishing about the federal policy I am struck by the focus of discussion on mothers/parents. How easily we ignore that what this is all about is children. a- e-rr NORTHERN WOMAN page 10 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �R eviews MUSIC Reviewed by JOAN BARIL. THE INTENTION, THE BLUE, by KIM ERICKSON Her voice is liquid crystal. The piano lines are as clear and spare as a northern winter night. Kim Erickson, in her first recording, uses that voice and piano to blend blues and New Age into something startling and unique. She mixes in nature sounds, African beats, and zen-like chimes into a minimalist accompaniment. Kim is one of the few Thunder Bay women musicians who have been independently produced. Previous to this disc which was originally recorded in Ottawa in 1982, Kim has worked with Sneezy Waters, Ian Tamblyn, Lois Garrity and Laurie Conger. Kim is a classically trained musician like her friend Laurie Conger, and she is a wearer of many hats singer, composer, performer, piano teacher, as well as wife and mother of daughter Reija, 21/2. At present she is studying with acclaimed voice teacher Annechien Menso in Holland, made possible by a Canada Council "Kim is more than a performer" says long-time friend Estella Howard. "Her music comes from the spirit, from a strong place within her. It's part of her study to go deeper to the centre. Her music comes from a strong centre but it's full of the spirit, full of heart." award. "The slow blues", Duke Ellington once said, "are the hardest thing of all." On the flip side of the disc, Kim sails through four traditional blues numbers with matchless phrasing and soul. The first side consists of her own compositions including the lovely instrumental, "The Intention". as well as her own arrangements of traditional tunes such as Corinna. The mixes of new and traditional beats, African and Zen, result in an almost mystical synthesis. BOOKS Reviewed by DIANA -MARIE KORBISSER STOLZ BEING PREGNANT CONVERSATIONS WITH WOMEN by Daphne Morrison I would not recommend this book to any pregnant woman. The idea, conversations with women on being pregnant, is good and the foreward by the author, Daphne Morrison, is warm and inviting. It is a moving account of fifteen women's experiences of pregnancy and childbirth but the overall tone is too sharp with unresolved sadness, tragedy and despair. All of these aspects and more may be a part of any pregnancy. I have heard too many fairy tales and am a strong advocate of dispelling myths but, at such a tenuous and vulnerable time in a woman's life, I think it is essential that truths be told constructively. We need support to help us overcome the shock of discovering that we have been lied to. This crucial element is missing, making the book too harsh and depressing as prenatal reading. I do recommend it for reading as a frank case study of women and pregnancy representative ent ages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and social strata. The verbatim accounts are personal and powerful glimpses of the lives and struggles of women who have conceived, deliberately or unintentionally. You will be moved and struck by their honesty and courage. You will be stunned and outraged by some of their circumstances. Read it - well before or after your pregnancy. KWATCOMPAlit ANSWERS to MATCHING QUIZ Volume 10 #4 Character Author Novel Minn Burge Evelyn Hall Naomi Nakane Rose Isobel Cleary Chiclet Gomez Marian McAlpine Pauline Archange Felicity April Raintree Anne Gray Stacey McAindra Marian Engel Jane Rule Joy Kogawa Alice Munro Audrey Thomas Dorothy O'Connell Margaret Atwood Marie-Claire Blais Janet Turner Hospital Beatrice Culleton Anne Cameron Margaret Laurence The Honeyman Festival Desert of the Heart Obasan Who Do You Think You Are Songs My Mother Taught Me Chicket Gomez The Edible Woman The Manuscripts of Pauline Archange Borderline In Search of April Raintree The Journey The Fire Dwellers For the millions who can't read Give the gift of literacy More than four million adult Canadians can't read well enough to fill out a job application or understand the directions on a medicine bottle. You can help. Give money, volunteer with a literacy group, write to your MP, and read to your children. For more information, contact: Canadian Give the Gift of literacy Foundation 34 Ross St., Suite 200, Toronto, Ont. M5T 1Z9 (416) 595-9967 1,4 The Canadian Give the Gift of Literacy Campaign is a project of the book and periodical industry of Canada, in partnership with Telephone Pioneers of America, Regions- Canada. NORTHERN WOMAN page 11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �* UPDATE continued from p6 The task force on the implementation of midwifery in Ontario 7released a report recently that was enthusiastically received by feminists, midwives, parents and childbirth educators. Canada is currently the only industrialized western country that has no provisions for midwives. In early 1986, then health minister Murray Elston announced the government's intentions to establish midwifery as a recognized part of the provincial health care system. Thus, the task force was created to discover issues such as midwifery practice, means of education, guidelines for entrance, operating procedures, and midwife/doctor relationships. The resulting report outlines 70 recommentations and predicts the legalization of midwifery in the province by as early as 1990. The report has provided the government with an excellent tool with which to integrate midwives into the health care system with recommendations such as: direct-entry midwifery education, making midwifery a self-regulating profession, developing a system of thorough assesment, licensing and integration of currently practicing midwives, provisions for midwives to work in hospitals, birthing centres and in the community including home births. The association of Ontario mi wives is the current governing boc for all practising midwives. The recommendations will legitimize a association as well as set up a cc ege of midwives. The report sugge that midwifery education be at the university level, and that a cours be accessable to Northern Ontario residents by recognition of course credits obtained at other universi The legalization of the pract ice will make midwifery financiall feasible for everyone. Where the fees for midwife se/ 7Aces have bee as much as $1,200, the legalizatic will allow for coverage under O.H. Midwives will have more legitimate medical back-up both in hospital and home settings. THE WIFE WILL HAVE TO TAKE RETRAINING The Judgement See the petty gift. She says she is a dezented wiee. No one cooed possibty teave het. Theteeote, He must have had a good teason. See the pretty gitt. Anyone wowed want het. She cooed have had every guy in town, Theteeote, I ass4me she did. See the pnetty gint. She wants support eot hetsete, She wants suppott eot het chitd, She's bateey otd enough To be in the wotkeotce, And she want's to be pensioned oei! I wLU not gtant suppokt, Het husband hats deb-to to pay: He haZ td pay eotWU can He has to pay 04 his stereo He has to pay Sot his cotot T,V, Besides; It wowed onty come oee o4 her Weteate. Go home, Putty Gikt, your mat tiage was only a joke, And you eat eot it. Go home, Ptetty Gitt, So we can stop taughing Suzan Gait Cotti_m Whete ate you Odd Canadian Sisteks Now that I wowed settee eot good convetsation? Where ate you, whose vitgin sout has not been penetrated by men's phantasy? Whose kites oe passage were through the mine {feeds oe eeminism Ake you tost among the btue hair oe the ttaditionat gkandmeke Whose silence need nevet be bought. Ake you dying among the Savages who created ptanned obsotescence and the batbatic custom oe eunetat pkecessions? Have you gtound the essentiat YOU beneath the tubbish oe sociatization Has the acne in you spoken tebettion as the ptopet posture Sot Semates,, Shaft we ptan to meet in some meadow with etowets in out hair and wigs on out toes and tt1Ja about what we might have tad them -Le they had asked us? Gerd Beadle NORTHERN WOMAN page 12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �SWIMMING UPSTREAM continued from p5 This is what I think 'the class were still written from a white question' in the women's movement is (Anglo) perspective. And I concluded fundamentally about. There has been that I too had been guilty of an unfortunate tendency to think of seeing women of colour as having particular class merely in personal terms; am experiences that could be narrated I middle-class? do I have privileges for "our" enlightenment. I because I live in a nice house? how learned that white experience is just as can I get along better with my workparticular, and should be analyzed as ing class sisters? etc. I am certainsuch: for instance, how did Adrienne's ly not denying that personal privilRich's whiteness affect her experiege is important -- for instance, if ence and therefore her analysis of women lawyers and academics are thoumotherhood? How did the whiteness of ght of as natural spokepersons, then Nellie McClung affect the Canadian class privilege is at work and must suffrage movement? These are the be challenged. However, much quesenergy tions I am now trying to can be wasted in excessive personalanswer. Women of colour have often been "includizing of issues such as class. When ed": but usually they have been we coined the slogan "the personal put in the role of inspiring "us", of is political" I don't think it was enlighteneing us about what it's like intended that the political should in far-off places. In general they be reduced to the personal. have been invited so as to add a Class is not a personal attritouch of colour. This kind of inclubute, even if it is linked to persion makes the brown and yellow sonal attributes; class is a strucand black women who make up the ture, a basic structure of our socivast majority of the world's women, into obety. It should furthermore be pointjects for the white feminist gaze. ed out that the obsessive personalizing of political issues is a particularly middle-class and North American pastime. An anti-capitalist women's movement is not one dedicated to the personal criticism of middleclass lifestyles, but rather one dedicated to building strong links with labour, with socialists, with antiimperialist groups here and in the Third World, with a view to creating a powerful coalition for the defeat of both capitalism and patriarchy. In this; - struggle women of colour are playing an increasingly key leadership role; E6M-ih Gaffada and elsewhere. This is a crucial difference between the movement of five years ago and that of today. As a movement, we have barely begun to inCIL tegrate an anti-racist perspective into our work, so I am going to speak more personally about what I have learned from listening to and working with people of colour. I first learned that racism cannot be reduced Some organizations are now, for to a side-effect of either capitalism the first time in the history of femor patriarchy: it has its own reality inism, consciously trying to change and its own dynamic, and the struggle this: women of colour are taking against it is not a subset of some their rightful place as subjects, not other struggle. Theoretically this objects, actively organizing the movecaused me problems: just as I was bement, defining the issues, and using ginning to glimpse how one might comtheir experience to draw some general bine a feminist analysis with a socconclusions about gender oppression. ialist one, I realized that there was And what some white feminists are a third term which could not be rebeginning to do is attempt to inteduced to the two I already had. It grate an anti-racist was at that point that I gave up my perspective not only into the more obvious issues pursuit of the perfect theory, and (e.g. the situation of Native women decided to undertake (in my scholarin Canada's North, women in South ly work) concrete analyses of the inAfrica) but into our work as a whole. terrelations between racism, sexism I personally have done some soul searand capitalism at particular points ching because I now realize that my in history. I want to see how they book on sexuality (published in 1985) actually interact in a specific condid not make a serious effort to text, rather than trying to freeze think through the relation between history in order to draw an abstract race and sexual identity. What I was map of the structural connections betprobably thinking when I wrote it was ween them. that the sexual experience and sexual In my political practice, I beconsciousness of women of colour is gan to see that the hitherto usual obviously intertwined with their expractice of "including" women of colperience of race and racism: but it our here and there was reinforcing did not dawn on me that whiteness is the ethnocentric and racist strucas much of a colour as brownness, and tures we were supposedly attacking. I that one's feelings about one's body I noticed women of colour being put -which underlie all sexual experiin the position of telling personal ence -- are to an important extent experiences, experiences which were determined by the social construction interpreted as the particular probof one's race. lems of women of colour - the general books on motherhood, sexuality, etc., In collective terms I am sure that many of you are currently going through turmoil around the question of whether white feminists and women of colour can or should work togethel and if so how -- so I certainly have no recipes, but as a historian of fen ininsm perhaps I can give you the con forting thought that what we are all trying to do, under the leadership of women of colour, is truly unique in the history of the women's movement. One thing that we have learned is that we cannot naively think that all women are potential members of all women's groups. Native women, black women, Asian women, disabled women, women in particular sectors of the economy will have certain interests in common and will want to use autonomous groups both to put forward their specific politic and to give their members a safe place to be, a circle of non-oppression. How these collectives or organizations will cooperate still remains largely a question mark: the mainstream women's organizations (egNAC) are certainly changing, but the heritage of racism and bourgeois hegemony weighs very heavily on our collective shoulders, and it will be years before we all think of 'the leadership of the oppressed' as the normal process to deal with class and race differences. The tokenistic approach is still the usual response, it is what somehow 'comes don't want to look bad, so we find visible -minority woman to speak white cast (which is assumed to be the normal outcome unless one specifically plans otherwise). We have to think hard about the organizational questions that are often dismissed as either boring or bureaucratic: an anti-capitalist perspective, an anti-racist perspective, will not flourish in the women's movement unless there are consciously designed structures to make it happen. We can't pretend that structures are neutral; otherwise we'll re-enact the interaction I had at the bank, by expecting all groups of women to fit into the apparently neutral forms of organization that were developed in the course of oppressing those very groups we now want to ally with. In trying to organize both small collectives and larger coalitions, we also have to be aware of how deeply the state structures our interactions. This does not happen only when direct funding is given for a particular project and the organizers 'naturally' make their work fit the categories of the funding proposal; it happens even before we ask for funding, even before we form a group. The state sets out the framework for social and political life. It divides society into competing "interest groups" all at the same level -- instead of oppressed and privileged groups. Labour is not seen as representing the claims of the working class as a whole against capital: it is seen as just another pressure group, on a par with R.E.A.L. women or with the National Citizens' Coalition. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Women too are not seen as the oppressed majority but as Iggrely an interest group, and not an especially powerful one at that. Women are further subdivided and set off against each other through a myriad of programs which claim to help us but, in the long run, divide us: mothers on family benefits are put in one department, Native women seeking Native rights are put under Indian Affairs, mothers needing day care are told to speak to this other ministry, and so on. It is as though the state fragmented us -- not just into different groups, but even fragmented the same person into bits -- and said, now, this piece of you needs to interact with this arm of the state, and so on. The state -- as I'm sure Carolyn Egan will tell you in her workshop -- is it not neutral: among other things disorganizes us right from the beginning, even while apparently giving us certain benefits. Let me now try to move toward what I hope will be an upbeat conclusion. The structures of racism, of patriarchy, and of bourgeois society make it extremely difficult to work non-competitively. If we spend eight hours a day in the imperialist bank, obeying orders or giving them, silently competing for scarce promotions and so on, we cannot leave all that at the door of our women's meeting. What we can do is recognize it and try to subvert it -- but a utopian, naive denial of the individualist and hierarchial structures within which we function during most of our , volcanic eruptions in our groups and in our psyches. It is true that there are some women who are as egocentric and obnoxious as the worst man; but in my experience, for every one such woman there are twenty who do not speak up when they should for fear of appearing to be egocentric. The ethic of politeness and self-sacrifice does not work in the long run: rather, it leads to burnout, which Is probably the most significant problem in the radical women's movement today. Let me end by giving a small practical suggestion to deal with these difficult questions of personal interactions in groups: I propose that we abolish "niceness" in the women's movement. Let me explain. When I moved to North America at the age of 12, my siblings and I were quite struck by the constant use of the term "nice" among North American adults, particularly ladies. We would mimic my mother's friends and neighbours, saying "isn't this niiiice?" whenever something unpleasant happened. We commented on the fact that the word nice did not seem to have any stable meaning, and it certainly could not be translated into Spanish. But after twenty years of life in North America I have finally figured out what "nice" means. It means: let us pretend we are all unselfish, while firmly supporting our husbands in their ruthless struggle to get our family ahead of the Joneses. flaa.-aiWibenalfdifmakt"0....04 __14:a;,ggAijjl.gresult in resentments, silent recriminations, feelings of disappointment and betrayal, and other problems which have plagued women's groups. We also need to face the difficulties we have, as women in a patriarchal society, in building solid relations of work and friendship -as Adrienne Rich has pointed out, men have had "a man's word", a man's honour, and gentlemen's agreements to help them bond with each other in business and in war; but women have been told that our only loyalties are based on our instincts as wives and mothers, instincts which supposedly create our bonds to men and children. We have not thus bonded with other women, we have not been used to making intelligent (as opposed to instinctual) commitments to work and to politics. The absence of traditions of female bonding, together with the lack of self-confidence in our work and our thought, can create an unreasonable desire to sweep all conflicts under the carpet; we fear that any expression of disagreement will lead to But I don't want you to go awe thinking I advocate nastiness as a replacement for niceness. My point that those two modes are not the of possibilities - in fact, niceness ruthless competition are the two s: of the same Anglosaxon bourgeois ci tural coin. I am suggesting that we look somewhere else for a new concept o how to interact. Where I personall: have found a very different, and t. ly useful, model of collective pol: tical and personal interaction is my visits to Nicaragua. The first I was there, I was struck by the c4 stant reference to "love". "affect. and "tenderness" (amor, carino, te nura). I was translating for a gro . of trade unionists, and I had to t them (in English, and in embarrass tones) that this important male tr union leader was actually saying t "solidarity is the tenderness of o people for another". The Canadian trade unionists, typically, did no make the slightest facial expressi But by the end of the trip, even t most hardened Anglo was giving imp mptu speeches ending in heartfelt shouts and even hugs and kisses. S idarity really had become the tend ness between peoples. This tendern this kindness, does not sweep conf under the rug as niceness does; bu it makes sure that the conflict is talked about with respect and love This process, this way of being an working with people, is absolutely essential in the struggle of the araguan people against an incredib It means: politeness is more important than truth or justice. It means: we don't care if false politeness makes for stilted interactions and destroys any possibility of working together, for after all, women don't really work together, we just chat. It means: let us never admit that we feel passionate about our politics, about our ideas, about our loves -- for passion is destructive and nasty; it's not nice. tenderness, for one another and fo oppressed people the world over, w ch keeps them joking even in the m st of death. It is this love and tenderness which helps them to sur vive the burn-out of eight years o constantly swimming upstream in th mighty river of imperialism. I hav learned a lot from Nicaraguans. I have learned how to work so that w are empowered in and by our strugg instead of being exhausted by it. so I am bringing you neither souve nor recipes: I am bringing these w -- love, tenderness, affection -hoping that you will be able to fe their meaning, and let it empower you in your struggle. ,77:4E SWIrnmEit" .***.*.***.*.*******.********** NORTHERN WOMAN page web 14 PDF compression, OCR, optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �40. Wrath WOMAN WORDS 21. Norse goddess of the 1. 6. 10. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 42. sea. ACROSS 22. 24. 26. 27. One who tips. Object of infatuation. Exclusive Bundle of wood used to burn witches in 15th & 16th century. convergence. 30. of Many Colours. 34. Dolly Parton tune 35. He caused the Trojan war by kidnapping Helen. 36. Arrangment (abr) 37. Maize 38. Fountains 39. Familiar northern fish. Women teachers: School Trendy Raced Expect Absent without leave. Lowest woman's voice. Belgian marble. A reigning Hindu woman. Gaze intently. "Extraordinary lie designed to make people unfree" (Angela Carter 1983) 43. rr 2. ,-. 7 .., ,4 is IT 19 10 3 lo ) H 11 15 1 fo 11 12 21 45. 46. food. 47. 48. 51. 52. And others. Central cores. Should be "ah-woman" The 27th U.S. constitutional Amendment. Pertaining to the mouth. To repair or patch. Cut into wedge-shaped pieces. One who is brutal & 55, 56. 58. 111 24 28 27 30 31 3f 34 48 ss, Lo III lull 39 42. 41 44 4-5" DOWN 2. 3. 4. 47 40> 52. 33 5I 41 II 540 ,1 ".F: F. 111111 BILL 7 65. Ceases activity. 1. 54 Woman teacher; see 1 accross At a distance. Declaim vehemently. Womyn's Music Festival. Saint (fem. abr.) 6, Proponent of choice. (acronym) 7. Monetary unit of South Korea. 5. 9. Centre of immature orgasm in women. 10. Poet of Lesbos. 11. To drop with a sound of something striking water. 12. To be. (Fr.) 13. One who does. 21. What Reagan talks. 23. A theory or doctrine. 25. Tiny round mark. 26. Group gathering for some common purpose. 27. External border. 28. Fruit of the oak. 29. Injured by bull. 30. Ends of the forearms. 31. Monetary unit of Nigeria. 32. One who irks. 33. Top of a wave, southern 35. Corn U.S. food. 38. Feast or holiday. 39. Rind 41. Past tense of wear. and the Cha42. Chris Williamnged: son album. 44. Moved on wheels. 45. Goddess personifying men's blind impulses, 47. Void 48. Zenith 49. Impel 50. Concern 51. Among 52. Son of Aphrodite, 53, The others. 54. Fruit drinks. 57. Woman's name. 59, Rock containing valuable substance. : Toothed leaf edge. Require "well adjusted" woman in a patriachal soci- 32. 3i0 39 a feared. Mine opening. 26 21 40 .61. 62. 63. 64. ety. 23 atom. : 60. I 8. Electrically charged Lill. Canadian playright "The Occupation of Heather Rose" Roman goddess of grain & harvest. Theme Bread for International Women's Day. Have Worthless scrap of 41. continued from p4 As the new legislation takes hold we can hope to gain true equality and a sense of freedom in the lives we lead. While the nature of the law will be muddy for some time, the passing of the Bill clearly signals an acknowledgement of and disagreement with homophobia, The phones in my office are still ringing. A woman calls, outraged, trying to instill some "sense" into my head and warning me of the dangers of homosexuality. "Would you want one of those people teaching your kids?" "Would you want one of those in your home?" "You bet!!!" CALL TO ACTION: To support EGALE, you can donate your time or money (or both). Write or phone your MP and encourage her/him to support an amendment to the constitution that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Call or write the Minister of Justice and the opposition critics to voice your support for the amendment. KEEP TRACK OF YOURSELF THIS YEAR WITH EVERYWOMEN'S ALMANAC For more information: EGALE P.O. Box 2891, Station D Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5W9 1Hansard, November 25, 1986 2Toward Equality Report, March4, 1986 Editors Note: This article appeared in 'breaking the silence' Summer 1987 prior to the Ontario election, when, unfortunately, Evelyn Gigantes was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election. Consequently some of the references are out of date, yet the message given is still very timely. Available at NORTHERN WOMAN BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St. Thunder Bay 344-7979 NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A NOTICE FROM THE NATIONAL ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN WHY FREE TRADE WILL HARM WOMEN: It is vital that women speak out against free trade because we'll be most affected and can least afford bearing the "cost" of free trade adjustments. It will mean: 0.1..osV The reason women will lose more from free trade is because working women are concentrated in industries which will be most adversely aftected. In ri :Inufacturing most women work in textiles, clothing, food proc- ignoring health and safety, and fighting legislative protection which ensures equal rights for women. They will do this because their major competition under the agreement will be located in U.S. states with no minimum wage, poor labour legislation and very low levels of unionization. essing, electrical and electronic products, and other consumer industries. Even government studies admit that the jobs in these industries are most at risk. POORER -ACCE.Sp'iTO SOCIALFIROGRAMS In the service sector, where the majority of working women are con- The Canadian tradition of providing services to people through publicly supported facilities is jeopardized. centrated, jobs are threatened because many restrictions on the provision of services from outside the country will be removed. For example, in the case of data processing, there are many laws which require that data be processed and stored in Canada. When these are removed, many clerical jobs for women will be lost. The agreement says that U.S. firms must be given equal treatment and implies that they must be given equal access to LOWE 1NAGESRAND POORER WORKINgcoNOITIONS public funding. The result will be a great drain on our tax dollars and an increased tendency for certain services, such as health care and child care to be shifted to the private sector. Even in those places where women don't lose their jobs, increasing competition will force firms to reduce costs through cutting wages, When services are delivered through private means, they tend to be less accessible and more expensive. WHAT WOMEN CAN DO: It is important that everyone understand what free trade is about. You can help in many ways. distribute or post this where youopposition work andtoinfree your community tell your local M.P. or flyer M.P.P. of your trade give your support to activities in your community against free trade help NAC fight free trade through a financial contribution FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE TRADE AND WHAT TO DO CONTACT: The National Action Committee on the Status of Women 344 Bloor St. West, Suite 505, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1W9 (416) 922-3246 (Toronto) (613) 234-7062 (Ottawa) The Coalition Against Free Trade (416) 534-3523 Your District Labour Council or Chapter of the Council of Canadians La Coalition quebecoise d'opposition au libre-echange (514) 598-2273 The Pro-Canada Network (613) 233-1764 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class *Ail Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: p2 SUPERIOR ART COLLECTION p2 YOUR VOICE p3 EQUALITY AT RISK? p4 BILL 7 p5 SWIMMING UPSTREAM p6 UPDATE p7 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p8 POETRY p10 DAY CARE pll REVIEWS p15 WOMAN WORDS Name Address (postal code) individual $ 5 o institutional $ 10 Collectively produced MARGARET PHILLIPS - ROSEMARY PITTIS - CYNTHIA STOLZ MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST - JONI MACE RETURN TO: :*********************************** *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * ! : * * THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 * * tt*********************************** Return Postage Guaranteed Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR-ISSUES) $5-.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 1 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 1 (December 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Superior art collection Native artists Meech Lake Accord Feminist book list Bill 7 Human Rights Code of Ontario amendment Protection for lesbians INTERWEAVE Conference Women & class/race Welfare workers National Organization for Women Resources for Northern Women Women’s Place Kenora Native family violence Poetry Daycare access Music review Feminist book review Women against free trade Authors/Contributors: Margaret Phillips Cindy Moriarty Joni Mace Northern Women’s Directorate Sharman Lynne Joan Baril Diana-Marie Korbisser Susan Gail Collins Gert Beadle Rosemary Pittis Cynthia Stolz Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2802/1988_Vol_11_No_2.pdf 638edbe52ab92ef82d035633765201b9 PDF Text Text Northern Woman $1 5 0 ournal. May 1988 Volume 11 No. 2 Thunder Bay, Ont. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �U vv _r -147,x7crc.r.). :d7.,a may. 17' :4. - , 45- 6' .1!'bv? ON MARCH 15 A SHOT RANG OUT IN KENORA THAT ECHOED THROUGH THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE WOMEN OF ONTARIO, OUR DREAMS, OUR HOPES, AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE WERE SUCCEEDING, CRUMBLED. WE WEPT, WE RAGED, WE QUESTIONED. AGAINST THE TIDE OF MORE THAN A DECADE OF WORK BY WOMEN FOR THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN; A WOMAN DIED. THE VIOLENCE WHICH WE HAVE STOOD AGAINST, SHATTERED THE LIVES OF THE WOMEN OF KENORA AND TORE INTO THE BEING OF EVERY WOMAN COMMITTED TO THE SAFETY AND SUPPORT OF HER SISTERS. WOMEN WENT TO THE PLACE OF OUR INADEQUACIES AND WE STOOD NOT UNITED IN STRENGTH BUT STUNNED BY A PAIN THAT WE HAD ALWAYS KNOWN COULD COME. FACED WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, EACH OF US WAS SHAKEN BY THE SENSELESSNESS OF THE TRAGEDY. ELIZABETH WAS TO THE WOMEN OF KENORA, A FRIEND. TO OTHERS SHE WAS THE REASON FOR OUR WORK, OUR COMMITMENT, THE SHAPE OF OUR LIVES. MANY OF US DID NOT KNOW HER FACE BUT WE KNEW HER SOUL. OUR GRIEF HAD NO PATTERN TO FOLLOW. OUR HEARTS ACHED FOR HER CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY WHOM WE COULD NOT REACH. THE ISOLATION OF OUR DISTANCE OBSTRUCTED THE SUPPORT WE NEEDED TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS AND WORKERS OF THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES BLOCKED OUR NEED TO KNOW AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE REMAINED INVISIBLE, UNTOUCHED BY OUR ANGER. UNABLE TO KNOW, TO REACH, TO TOUCH, TO VENT OUR RAGE, WOMEN OF COLLECTIVE POWER WERE OVERWHELMED BY A POWERLESSNESS. WOMEN FELT FRIGHTENED. A FEAR THAT NEITHER LOCKED WINDOWS, SCREENED CALLS OR BARRED WINDOWS CAN EASE. IT IS A FEAR OF TRUST. A MOMENT OF TRUST HAD BETRAYED ELIZABETH. TRUST HAS BEEN AT TIMES BOTH OUR FRIEND AND OUR ENEMY. WE BECAME FEARFUL TO TRUST OTHERS, OURSELVES, OUR ACTIONS, OUR JUDGEMENTS. IT IS A FEAR WE NEED TO OVERCOME. TO FIND A BALANCE OF TRUST AND TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS WE HAVE NOT FOUND BEFORE THE TRAGIC EXPERIENCE OF ELIZABETH WILL FORCE US ALL TO EXAMINE OUR EVERY MOVE, OUR PHILOSOPHIES AND PRACTICES. AND MUST DO THIS IN AN EXACTING AND CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FOR PROTECTION OF WOMEN. WEIGHING THE RIGHTS OF EACH WOMAN, THE RIGHTS OF ALL WOMEN. WE NEED TO FIND OUR STRENGTH AGAIN. IT IS THE VOICES OF WOMEN THAT WILL HELP US. The Voice oS Them Feat "I was realty aSnaid one night." "I was aSnaid he'd kilt me id it got any worse." "I used to 'may that my husband would hit me, on do whatever he waz going to do to me. I Siguned the pain coutdn't be wonse than tiving in constant dean." The Voice oS Theirs Pain "Hitting, pounding, kicking, these things hunt yours body and that leaves some scans I never had a chance to do but mostty yam body heats." "What hunts even /none anything with my tiSe." "Bruises and bones heat but .this ache never goes away." The Voice oS Theik ConSusion "I was dtatteked by his jealousy at din-at - I thought it meant that he toyed me." "But he neatly needs me. I guess that's why t keep going back." "He makes me Sea important." The Voice oS Theis. Needs "I just don't know what to do sometimes, especially when you don't have any money." "I think od others people din zt alt the time. I'm the most .important person, but I Songet that." "I neatty want to go back -to school." "Every time I Looked Son a pace and said I was on sociat sent/ices, they said it was taken." The Voice oiS Theirs Pride "There .is 40 many things I thought I could do." "I can be what I want to be." "I don't have to live Sot somebody ase. I'm my own person - I can do what I want." "WhenVoices you come, they're always so g.tad -to see you. it makes you Sea good." Than About the Houses "The treason I think tkauitLon houses arse 40 .important is that they can be many things Son diddenent women. Fon one woman they can be a way to physicatty sunvive, Sot another they pnovide shoulders to cry on. Fon anothe,t they intnoduce hen to things she can do to make it on hex own. You can't Lump battened women and .theirs needs .together. You need just about as many sotutLoms as .there cute battened women. No answet .is night Sot everyone." And Finatty "Ws tike they atma6t give you stnength to go on." STRENGTH, OF AND WE WILL BE STRONG AND WE WILL GO ON. EACH OF US ACCORDING TO OUR INDIVIDUAL SOURCES OF ENERGY, OF SPIRITUALITY AND BELIEFS, WILL DRAW UPON THE COURAGE NEEDED TO MOVE AGAINST THE VIOLENCE WE CANNOT ACCEPT. POLICIES TOGETHER WE WILL START FROM THE STARTING POINT OF THE VISION, A VISION THAT HAS BEEN BLURRED BY DOLLARS. BY HAVE TO DIE. THE ANSWER TO THIS HOW ELIZABETH DIED, IS WHY DID ELIZABETH AND BY PROGRAMS. A FAR BIGGER QUESTION THAN QUESTION LIES IN THE VISION. MADNESS THAT ALLOWS TOGETHER WE WILL FEEL THE POWER TO SPEAK AGAIN, TO MARCH AGAIN, TO HOLD SOCIETY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WOMEN TO BE BEATEN, DEGRADED, HUMILIATED AND MURDERED. Against our witt, despite out stnength Opposed to att we .tided to be Watts and iniendz could not pnotect Elizabeth's stkuggte don dignity Asking only to connect A time od viotence, marked by teanz To build a Sutune, share the dreams OS tide without the pain and dean With women and chitdnen we canny on Less one we've Lost to death We vow to change., pkotect and cake Now, in the name od Elizabeth submitted by: THE VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE of the NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL e4 NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Story of Esmerelda BY JOSIE WALLENIUS Esmerelda was a white woman who lived in white land. One day she woke from a long sleep, and found her mother dying. Esmerelda loved her mother. In fact, she could not live without her, so she started to find out from what her mother was dying. Not long after she began this investigation, she came across a small truth, and spoke it. To her great surprise and dismay, she was called black for telling this truth. Not having a clue what black was, except it was black, she looked it up in the dictionary and found it described as rather white. With great curiousity she then looked up white, and it seemed to her very black, blacker than black, because amongst other things Esmerelda had been brought up in church. However, Esmerelda forgot about this for a while, as when you have been brought up to believe black is black and white is white, its pretty difficult to unbelieve it. Some time later, Esmerelda went to a great gathering of women, and met some new sisters that were brown and also daughters of her mother, and found out another surprising thing. These women were from whitelands too, but were trying to go black and were being resisted by the white. In fact her sisters were suffering the most frightful misfortunes in their struggle to change colour, and Esmerelda felt badly. She felt so badly in fact that she fainted clear away when she heard their stories. When Esmerelda got back from this gathering, she forgot about all this as the air in white land was very white indeed, and she was used to what came over it, which kept on saying white was white, and nobody had a problem in breathing it. For a while, Esmerelda felt quite well, just as well as ever, except her mother was still dying, and everybody was getting more and more unhappy and not looking into each others eyes anymore like they used to in days gone by. Then one day Esmerelda read a book, called "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee", and she found out that until very recently the white land she lived in had been owned and filled with Brown people, and it had been ancient black, and Esmerelda began to get breathless attacks as she read it because the story was dripping with red from the white, and what made her more breathless was she knew the white had not meant her to read it. However, Christmas was coming, and she began to feel better, as Esmerelda loved Christmas, and wanted to shop. So she went to a lovely shopping mall and began to get REALLY breathless as the air in the mall was white smog playing Silent Night in the white air, and she saw red running from earrings and skirts. In fact hard as she looked she could see nothing that wasn't red white. However, Esmerelda was no spring chicken, and put it all down to old age, and went her way, keeping out of malls and going down to the lake through the trees, where somehow or other, come rain or shine, the air seemed blac Of course it must be noted that Esmerelda was very privileged to be able to do this as she did not live in an urban squat. One day, as she was sitting on a bit of black, a rock, she got an idea to go to a country of brown people who had just gone black as she wanted to help. When she got there she did not get breathless at all, not even in a shop, and forgot all about her breathlessness till she came back, and landing at the airport began to choke. A kindly white man, who obviously at some time had breathed black air, helped her to a chair, where she recovered enough to get home in a taxi. However, after this experience Esmerelda did not seem able to recover and took to her bed, quite ill, gasping for air all the time. Ill as she was though, Esmerelda still worried terribly about her mother and went on listening to the white air waves, which made her nauseous as well as breathless, and one day heard over them that the dream of the country she had been to was quite deliberately being strangled by the white nightmare which had long experience in strangling dreams, and Esmerelda felt full of absolute DREAD. She took a gasp of breath and jumped out of her sickbed and ran through the trees where the air was blacker than black to the green blue black lake and sat on her raven rock. She looked up at the golden black sun, and waited for the silver black moon and stars to come out, and the only white thing she saw was a gull, and that was black white. So Esmerelda decided to go black too, as for her it was the only way to breathe any more, the only way to resist the white, the only way to be a sister to those women at the gathering, and the only way to heal her mother. The funny thing was, AND THIS IS seemed to change. She heard no drum roll and say no mountains topple, though she did just hear a flute begin to play. Nobody started ordering her around and nobody seemed to care. Esmerelda started to clear away some dead wood but the main thing was that she woke in the morning feeling better, and did not get so breathless in the STILL white air. Esmerelda knew now that the way the white nightmare kept people in white land white, was making them fear black, and that was the trouble. Yet Esmerelda believed in dreams and knew other people in the white did too. WRTWJJ qlpM4N ,Apage 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �MATCH greater benefit of women throughout by Cynthia King the world. MATCH has financed, with the sup MATCH is a Canadian-based women's port of committed Canadian women and organization, committed with our Third men, a wide variety of activities of World Sisters, to a feminist vision Third World women's groups each year of development. Such a vision requires income generation, health promotion, the eradication of all forms of injusagricultural production, occupational tice, particularly the exploitation training, awareness building and organd marginalization of women. anizational strengthening. In the This is the philosophy statement future, we will be expanding this fors of MATCH International Centre, the of support to include integrated first non-governmental organization programmes involving Third World and anywhere in the world, and the only Canadian women. MATCH programmes will one in,Canada, devoted exclusively to support a variety of activities such promoting the development efforts of as research, publication, training, women. exchanges and educational tours, and MATCH was established by two conferences/seminars. Canadian women, Norma Walmsley and Suzanne Johnson, following the United Each programme will be built Nations International Women's Year around a theme identified by the woconference in Mexico City in 1975. This men involved. The themes we are now conference provided a forum for Third considering for further development 6,coadiutti~LVonutv Ptt. I World women, especially from Latin are violence against women, women in America, to voice their concerns about the workforce, expecially domestic This is the challenge which faced the effects on women of the development workers and free trade zone workers, MATCH in the beginning and which conprogrammes being implemented by govthe sex trade, including prostitutio tinues to challenge the organization ernments and by non-governmental orgpornography and trade in women, woas it celebrates its Tenth Anniversary. anizations (NGOs). These efforts, men in agriculture and women in the During the past decade, it has which purported to raise the living media. We hope that this method of been very satisfying to see many other standards for communities as a whole, programme, development will increase non-governmental, governmental and were in fact bypassing women and their the impact of the work we support. international bodies allocating greaneeds. We want to approach proposed ter resources to programmes designed Women make up 50% of the world's programmes with a view to addressing to ensure that women participate in population and one third of the officwomen's strategic needs and not only and benefit from development progial labour force. Yet they do 2/3 of women's practical needs. Strategic rammes. The women's movement in Canthe world's work,'groy 1/2 of all foodneeds relate to the root causes of ada and overseas has changed during stuffs, darn only 1/10 Of the income this time as well, with the growing women's subordinate status in sociand own less than 1% of real property.realization that we all have much to ety - attitudes, laws and practices which discriminate against women. In the rural areas of the Third World gain by joining forces with our sisPractical needs result from this dis the picture is even more grim, 18 hourters in other countries-As MATCH'S crimination - poor health, illiterac work days are not uncommon. One result; environment changes, we too must poor working conditions, lack of pai almost 2/3 of the world's illiterates adapt and focus our resources for the employment. It is obviously importare women. ant to meet such practical needs. MATCH believes, however, that long term change for women can only be brought about if practical and strategic needs are linked in programmes NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO that will challenge the root causes STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES of women's subordination. 1973-1987 MATCH has supported a number of "strategic" projects in the past. For example, in Nicaragua we assiste women in a trade union to identify their special needs. The women received training to prepare them to assume positions of responsibility within the union. In Peru and Mexic6 MATCH has supported domestic workers to organize to demand fair wages and working conditions. In Zambia, MATCH funds have helped a group of women to examine sex stereotyping in popular songs with a view to improving -the image of women. MATCH embarks upon its second decade knowing that there is still much to do. It is up to women to org anize themselves to bring about change - not to replace men and do as ORDER FORM they have done, but to achieve an NAME egalitarian society where all seek fairness and have an equal, recogniz ORGANIZATION role to play. POSTAL CODE $12.00 per copy plus $2.50 postage and handling where applicable AMOUNT NUMBER OF COPIES ENCLOSED $ REQUESTED Northwestern Ontario PLEASE MAKE CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO: Women's Decade Council, 905 Tungsten Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario COST P7B 5Z3 PDF:40Rrtlti& compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor WOMAi �ROLE MODELING PROGRAMS 64.41.4 Ontario Women's Directorate UPCOMING EVENTS PAY EQUITY AND JOB EVALUATION One day workshop at Confederation College 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. May 27th To Register - Contact Patti Bain at 475-6494 NORTHERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S CONFERENCE Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Contacts-Elaine Switzman (705) 736-2324 -Gail Broad (705) 949-8912(evgs) Theme - Accepting One Another. A bilingual conference for Native and non-Native women to build a bridge between the three dominant cultures in Northern Ontario. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST FREE TRADE June 12th 1988 FAMILY LAW SEMINAR Date to be announced Kenora, Ontario For moreinformation contact Lynn Beak (807) 345-6084 FAMILY LAW SEMINAR DateAto be announced Sault Ste Marie, Ontario For more information contact Lynn Beak (807) 345-6084 FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH November 1988 For the fourth year, grants will be awarded to community groups sponsoring local public education/awareness events. Application forms will be sent to groups next month. If you do not receive an application or would like more information contact Rae Anne Honey, 345-6084 SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION MONTH November 1988 SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION MONTH June 1988 For the first time this year, funds have been set aside for organizations to provide public education/ awareness in their own community around this issue. Contact Rae Anne Honey at 345-6084 for more information. CONGRATULATIONS PATHMAKERS and OPEN DOORS are both innovative programs designed to counter sex role stereotyping and promote education equity. These programs work by example and provide information to interest high school girls in a wider range of career options. PATHMAKER role models are university and college women who are training in the sciences, trades or technology. OPEN DOORS roles are women already working in their chosen fields. For high school girls about to make crucial curriculum and career choices, role models offer important encouragement and can motivate female students to explore their options and make informed choices. Role models are available to speak to classes, at career events or participate on panel discussions. Thanks to a local working committee these programs are in both public and separate school systems. The Directorate has commissioned a video to encourage potential rote models and working committee members to participate in these programs. Next week the production company will be in Thunder Bay and the video should be available by -to Women's Health Information Network, Northwestern Ontario Regional Child Care Committee and Women's Committee and Thunder Bay District Labour Council. These organizations held conferences recently - all were filled with excellent information, enthusiastic participation and strategizing around the issues. -to RAE MERCIER and the first Career Counselling Course for Francophone Women graduating class at Confederation College. Thank you for the opportunity to attend the wonderful breakfast ceremony. summer. \'ei - \\5esCx ...°°.(0°Ztt 101e eZ .11". "amononuagoliouw9140"014o faNkCs:,44 OWD PUBLICATIONS 4~14,144,1447,44~N~14P CAREER SELECTORS are a L3k-LIZCE series of seven booklets listing career options with education requirements, probable salaries, etc. soon to be available in French JOB SEARCH is an excellent tool to work through an action plan for women who are planning to enter the workplace for the first time or return after an extended absence. (English and French) FREE TRADE AGREEMENT is the Directorate's publication stating the impact on the economic position of women in Ontario. FAMILY LAW INFORMATION KIT-This kit provides information on recent changes in family law. Available in Spanish, Portugese, Italian, Cantonese, Vietnamese, French and English WOMEN OF ACTION is OWD's new poster celebrating the significant contributions of some Ontario women over the past 140 years. (French and The Resourc for you! A desk research in this bright room. Mat rowed for a two w We spent an Northern Women's Margaret Phillip quired many books Family Violence, Abuse and Native the categories t editions. Other new ad Immigrant Women Perspective, CAC CENTRE Pension Facts fo Information Grou Spring 1987 Working Together Volumes) produce Help Network, Co Access to Trades Ontario, Abt Ass English) OWD COMMUNITY GRANTS This program continues for 1988/89. The Grants Review Committee meets April 27 to review the first group of applications received. If your organization has a special project in mind which will enrich the economic, legal and social equality of women in your community, please call Rae Anne Honey at 345-6084 for more information and/or an application. Beginning this year, grants of $5,000 or less will have a shortened review process which will allow funds to reach you sooner. CHANGE AGENT PROJECT REPORTS: Equity at Work Physical Testing Demands Women in Road Paving Union/Management Collaboration Employment Equity for Women; How Does Your Company Measure Up? Women into Construction: A Blueprint for Action Gender Equality Indicator. This page is spo Ontario Women's material contain photocopied and out permission, to the original Ontario Women's NO PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �SUICIDE You will not need to cut me. You think of yourself as a master Sculptor, chiselling a rough block of stone into the image of Perfect Woman. (Remember that the amateur cuts just as deeply, if not always as well.) I will not make you cut me. I will chisel away at my own personality, destroying that which fails to please you. When I bleed, you can think you are innocent. I will do anything to hold you, give up any part of myself, as long as there is enough left to go on breathing, to go through the motions. You will not achieve Perfection. You will achieve a miniature not in keeping with the stature of the stone, at best your own chosen image out of all possibilities, a reconstruction limiting the potential of the stone. Another hand might choose to polish and smooth, enhancing the stone's natural beauty. But you do not appreciate this form. Perfection is not found in nature. Perfection is Man-made. The rough stone is the vessel of my love. Each cut diminishes to size of the vessel, each cut threatens its strength, its very existence. As the pieces drop away, my love lies fragmented. Will you be angry then? It's not your fault. changes were mine. Your hands are empty. But remember as you walk away: The I did it all for you. Susan Collins EYE BALL TO EYE BALL TAPESTRY He knew her better than she knew herself was his standard weapon for control when her thought deviated from his norm. She could never convince him that stupidity in her was innate and her imagination so gross that she could have thoughts that offended his vision of her. You are good and kind he told her hopefully this is not a person I can love, this bitchy, selfish-malcontent is confused you have been talking to women again. Thus we conceal the person we are to fit the expectations of wishful thinking. Only the male has the legitimate right to be obnoxious within the frame of conversation, so the female can practice her role of forgiveness and understanding. He will have it no other way, the woman glaring at him is an aberration, a stranger to herself, she can't seriously mean to tell him to F... off. Gert Beadle . pap,web :6 NORTHERN WOMAN, PDF compression, OCR, optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A Matter of Choice Abortion in Canada is legal. We intensely hope that by the time this Journal is in your hands this statement is still true: Two months have passed since the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada, which declared Canada's abortion law unconstitutional because it contravened the Canadian Charter of Rights. We have long known that the abortion law, enacted in 1969, was unjust. Politicians have also long known that the abortion law was unjust. Pro-choice representatives, and even the government's own study (the Badgley Report 1977) demonstrated clearly the inequity and injustice of Section 251 of the Criminal Code. But governments could not be moved to repeal the law. Instead they used the smokescreen that the law was a "compromise" between pro-choice and anti-abortion positions. (It is the perspective of this writer that the 1969 law had much more to do with population policy than with accommodating antagonistic positions - but that is the subject of another article.) Reasoned approaches through the political process failed. Thus, the abortion issue became a legal fight --- a seemingly endless legal fight --- propelled by the extraordinary determination of Dr. Henry Morgentaler, whose committed struggle has culminated in the historic Supreme Court ruling.' What was the basis of the ruling? Section 7 of the Charter of Rights say "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with principles of fundamental justice." The Supreme Court found that the law violated Section 7 of the Charter ... "Section 251 (of the Criminal Code) clearly interferes with a woman's physical and bodily integrity. Forcing a vo,nan by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a fetus to term unless she meets certain criteria unrelated to her own priorities and aspirations is a profound interference with a woman's body and thus an in,. fringement of security of the person." (Comments by Chief Justice Brian Dickson and Mr. Justice Antonio Lamer. These judges further stated "One of the basic tenets of our system of criminal justice is that, when Parliament creates a defence to a criminal charge, the defence should not be illusory or so difficult to attain as to be practically illusory. The procedures and restrictions stipulated in Section 251 for access to therapeutic abortions make the defence illusory resulting in a failure to comply with the principles of fundamental justice." It is instructive to note that only Madam Justice Bertha Wilson found that "The deprivation of the Section 7 right in this case offends freedom of conscience guaranteed in Section 2(a) of the Charter. The decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a moral decision and in a free and democratic society the conscience of the individual must be paramount to that of the state." "section 251 (of the Criminal Code) clearly interferes with a woman's Physical and bodily integrity. Forcing a wurun by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a fetus to term unless she meets certain criteria... is a Profound interference with a woman's body and thus an infringement of security of the person" Chief Justice Brian Dickson We must not be lulled by a false hope that the January 28th ruling enshrines that a woman has a constitutional right to determine her reproductive future. It is important to understand that the abortion law was struck down not because the Court believes that the state does not have a right to interfere with women's right to choose whether to carry a fetus to term, but rather that the state's intervention must be equitable (which it was not under Section 251). Thus the headlines glaring in every major newspaper - WOMEN GET FREE CHOICE; THE BIGGEST STEP SINCE WOMEN WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE; RULING PLACES ISSUE BETWEEN A PATIENT AND HER DOCTOR have changed. Now we see HNATSHYN PROMISE NEW LAW; MOVE TO CURB SOME ABORTIONS MULRONEY SAYS and ABORTION: TALK ABOUT FREE VOTE. The euphoric and celebratory response with which we greeted the Supreme Court decision has given way to hard realism. The patriarchy will not tolerate the possibility of women really having CHOICE. And so the struggle moves again from the courts to the political arena. There is much to suggest that the federal government will move quickly to enact new legislation restricting abortion. The rationale for quick action is to try to make the issue "go away" before the expected fall election. It is not in the best interests of the politicians, we are told, to have women's reproductive rights clutter the election campaign. The new legislation will seek to be a "compromise". It may be decided by polls or pollsters. (The fact that poll results depend significantly on the way a question is asked can only add to the chaos.) The compromise that is speculated is a pregnancy stage restriction. (You are not a criminal if you abort at 10 weeks, you are a criminal if you abort at 14 weeks?) ABORTION IS NOT A CRIMINAL ACT. Our position must be clear and unequivocal. NO LAW is the only acceptable stand. The issue of choice has not been won. We must again embark on the distasteful process of lobbying our politicians. We must make clear to all politicians that a new abortion law is unnecessary and unacceptable. We must also demand that equitable access to abortion services must be available to all women. We must also continue to press for community-controlled women's health centres that provide comprehensive services. Finally, we must focus on an integration of reproductive rights within a total economic and social agenda for women. Rape, violence, economic insecurity, day care, employment equity, pensions, reproductive rights, are not separate issues, and we must not let politicians treat them as separate issues ... and in doing so divide us. The following pages provide a retrospective of the pro-choice movement as we perceive it has evolved.. Suggestions are also given for what each of us can do to ensure that freedom of choice becomes a reality for Canadian women. Abortion is surely the most personal and private decision a woman_ will ever have to make. How far we are from affording women that privacy. The lawyers, the doctors, the journalists, the politicians, the priests, the pollsters, are certainly having their say and threaten to drown out women's voices. So we must take whatever individual or collective action we can, for until all women are free, none of us are free. "In th,bs countky, accezz to abottion nequitez a t'taveY agent - and money." June Cattwood (Gtobe'S Mait Dec.3/86) "The taw haz trLeated women az though they weke chadken who had to be protected 6tom the in own ikkezponzibte imputzez - and then zuddenty noticed that they wee att 2/town up. Now, the judicial doors haz been pitied open wide enough to £e-t the keatity o6 women'z tivez enten..." Anne Cottin4 (Macteanz Feb.8/88) NORTHERNPDFCompressor WOMAN': PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION ti �Historical Perspective excerpted from an article in BROADSIDE Volume 2 #4, 1981 In all societies throughout history abortion has been part of women's experience. Women have always attempted to control their reproductive capacities regardless of societal controls or sanctions. Several factors determine the status of abortion in a particular culture at a given time: the definition of the beginning of life, the perception of ideal population size, and the influence of the medical profession. Until the late 19th century no society punished abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. The Greek city states and ancient Rome made abortion the basis of a well-ordered population policy. Christianity infused the fetus with a soul but debated for eighteen centuries exactly when the fetus became animated by the soul, thereby making abortion a serious crime. Early Christain theologians defined the beginning of life as 40 days after conception for a male fetus, and 90 days after conception for a female fetus, although no methods of sex determination were specified. By the 13th century abortion was tolerated as a less serious sin up until the time of "quickening", usually the fifth month when a woman could feel the fetus move. It wasn't until the mid 19th century that the Roman Catholic Church tightened up its official stand against abortion. Pope Leo XIII at that time declared life to begin at conception and as a result abortion became defined as murder. This decision was rationalized in a number of ways. First, a mid 19th century wave of humanitarianism pressed for abortion laws to protect women from infection and death at the hands of male medical practioners. Until antiseptic techniques became prevalent, an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy was 10 to 15 times more dangerous than delivery at full term (today legal abortions are oneeighth as dangerous as childbirth at full term). Second, biologists began to understand conception, and women were therefore able to practice more effective birth control - a good motive for tightening of abortion laws. This had ramifications for all countries where large families were essential to farming communities. Third, and much more subtle, English puritanism flourished in the 19th century and espoused the idea, still current today It woutd be great to cttebtate this ti6ting o6 an ancient cuAse two thousand yeaAz and mote without tecoukse to taw on pukse It woad be nice to say "it's -oven" Sat the deed was tkuty done when justice met intettigence democtacy Sot us was won BUT Th,lz L not about abottion as much as powet and the pte-eminence o6 mole seed oven nine months oi Serrate gestation It iz about tetigious 6ascism in out time and two thousand yearn o6 chAistain misogyny tooted in itz inteApAetation as sexual pteasute as itticit and wit. untess Lt keptenished the earth. It's about Aace and the ketucatance o6 white women to reproduce on command Son the 6atheas It's about owner hip and Dominion ova that ctumbting dynasty o6 church and state and the sepakation o6 these two monotiths And it .us oimatity about those who choose not to know the keatity as out tivez That dakk night o6 the sout with the tkauma o6 decision and the challenge o6 peAsonat tesponsibitity as 6tee women It is about the sad out haAnassing the had outs and the concealed angek ofi the 40,ed that sex for pleasure was bad, that pregnancy was a punishment for pleasure, and that fear of pregnancy wou reinforce degenerating modern morals It was in 1873 that a US federal law banned from the mails all literatur( medicine or article to do with contraception or abortion. The 20th cei tury has seen a series of movements directed toward the repeal of the 19th century laws prohibiting abortion. Access to abortion in any culture is directly related to its economic needs and therefore to its pe/ ception of an ideal population size. Historically, nomadic peoples have always limited their population whatever means available,yet in preindustrial agricultural societies large families were an economic asset and abortion more difficult to obtain. A major influence on access to abortion was the emergence of the male medical profession. Until the development of scientific medicine in the late 18th and 19th centuries a wide range of healers performed medical tasks. The female "witch healer" and midwife played important roles in the community. As European medicine became firmly established as a secular science, it was increasingly threatened by women healers, and the profession played an active role in the witch trials which spanned more than four centuries. By the 18th century male practftioners had a so made inroads into the last preserve of female healing - midwifery. The invention of forceps enabled mall professionals to claim that a surgical instrument must be used by experts. The job of the midwife - who had been, for most women, the only source of information on childbearin; contraception and abortion - was narrowed in scope, downgraded and confined to the women of the poor. Matters of reproduction among the middle and upper classes was transformed into a lucrative business and remains so today. 60t a choice they resisted that tesotts them to a noisy demonsttat ion o6 supetion mokatity and 6inatty it's about moving in the ditection 06 each othet Sot noutishment and bonding as 6tee women in common. from KINESIS SO It wowed be nice to cetebtate the Aizing consciousness oti the Supreme count Paying Homage to the 6emate input. Those who have not paid theist dues to innocence will continue to harass the coutt and kiss the shoe o6 theit oppkessou We have bettek things to do with out tives than tetutn the harassment o6 .ignorance we choose to turn the othet cheek. "The only time you're sum_ what abort on is is when you're ptegnant.' Mation Powell, Say Centke Sot Bitth Conttot wokket. Gent Bead& page 8 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �ProChoice Thunder Bay ce n the he nsipriith serrth t the se inree eneConsoure speeness" h con- nal "400 ain se hostic' to al." chapition sumtoric ading) that inics. e writpro- ion r Bay. Abore contum aborrganemal the stern eventmitted ThunGroup had ... l base... primarily with pro-choice supporters, but including a small, vocal group of anti-choice women and their "brothers" who persistently disrupted the meeting's agenda. Apparently frustrated by the pro-choice speakers calmness and logic, the anti-abortionists broke up the meeting with a vitriolic display of verbal abuse... which spilled out into the streets where deflammatory accusations of a personal nature nearly caused a riot. Totally stunned by this amazing experience the Abortion Caravan continued on to Ottawa apparently blanking out this experience as the Thunder Bay stop is omitted from all of the Caravan's historical accounts. Women's Liberation meanwhile matured their political sophistication. The value of the Birth Control Clinic cannot be overstated. For more than three years it provided a supportive and necessary service. But key organizers moved on and the Clinic phased out. Impetus for pro-choice activism surged again following the 1973 Northern Women's Conference. An unstructured pro-choice group met regularly from 1974 on, and became an official CARAL chapter in 1979, and have been involved in public education, political activism, as well as providing support to individual women. The Northern Woman Journal has also played a significant role. Since its birth in 1973, the Journal has been an on-going vehicle for up-todate information about the pro-choice movement locally and nationally. The mid/late 70s saw the beginning of a structured anti-choice movement in Thunder Bay, with local Right to Life, Birthright, and (later) Campaign Life groups organizing. It is instructive to note that while the early anti-choice activities were developed by women, recent leadership is predominantly male. "As far as our The early work of the anti-choice group focussed heavily on speaking to school groups, and on lobbying federal politicians. This lobby has been intensified since the Supreme Court ruling. (Anti-choicers seem to love to demonstrate. CARAL was able to counteract one rather nasty picket, when CARAL presented Iona Camponola, then president of the Liberal Party, with a bouquet of roses, thus defusing the pickets' unpleasantness to Camponola, who supports choice.) It is instructive to note that the more recent anti-choice focus is oppostion to a variety of women's services. (See article on Women's Centre, NWJ Vol. 10 #1) Feminism is now the target. This "anti-woman" movement must be clearly understood. Access to abortion for Northwestern Ontario women has always been restricted, and heavily dependent on geography and economic status. Only Thunder Bay and Kenora hospitals had therapeutic abortion committees,,leaving women hundreds of miles from an abortion service. The problems encountered in accessing service here have made it necessary for many NWO women to travel to Minneapolis or Duluth. While these free standing abortion clinics have provided excellent and supportive services, the cost has been prohibitive for some women. The lack of access, the T.A.C. hassles, the delays, and, in some cases, insensitive treatment of abortion patients, has been all too evident in Northwestern Ontario. Consequently, support increases, not only for de-criminalizing abortion, but for the provision of community-controlled women's health centres, including abortion services. Only with such centres will there be the assurance of the sensitive and supportive environment that women undergoing an abortion need. For more information about local pro-choice activities, write CARAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay. responsibilities are concerned we intend to provide the leadership that Is required on this Issue." FederalJusbroWUWRamon Wmtenr.Fth2,191W Globe and mail. "We must support legislators who protect us from complicity in the moral crime of abortion." Archbishop James Carney Feb 11, 1988, Vancouver Sun. "There are any number of MAWS for abortion but in broad terms selfishness has a lot to do with L" I have been made aware by many Albertans that they resent having their taxes used to pay for abortions when these are done with contraception Irresponsibly being conceived in the Joy of sex. "We mourn for the unborn children of Canada... We promise to continue the battle with all our might." Wiliam Vander Zake,8.C. Premier, Feb 12,1988, Vancouver Sun James Huges, Campaign Life, Jan. 28,1988, Globe and Mail. Dr Roy le Riche, Aberta College of Physicians and Surgeons Registrar, Feb 12, Canadian Press. is e ts KJNESIS 7 page 9 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Law That Was CHILDBIRTH BY CHOICE Chiedbinth by choice means Oteedom o6 choice in ptanning one's 6ami2 y. It meant a woman zhoutd not be ptezzuted to beat a chid againzt het witt. It meant a woman zhoutd not be ptezzuted to have an abontion against het wilt. CARAL betievez that women zhoutd have the ineedom to chooze whethen on not to continue an unptanned, undezited pregnancy. Outs pozition -ins the one taken in the Un- ited Natibnz Human Rightz Dectanation oi 1968 (zigned by Canada): "Eveny couple and eveny individuat hat the tight to decide 6neety and nezponzibty whethet on not to have chitdnen ass welt at to detenmine theit numbers and zpacing, and to have inOtmation, education and meant to do to." Morgentaler's Struggle The 1969 Canadian abortion law The following is the relevant portion of Section 251 of the Criminal Code that was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada. 251(1) Everyone who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a female person, whether or not she is pregnant, uses any means for the purpose of carrying out his intention is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for life. (2) Every female person who, being pregnant, with intent to procure her own miscarriage, uses any means or permits any means to be used for the purpose of carrying out her intention is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for two years. (3) in this section "means" in- The federal Justice Minister orders a new trial on the (first) abortion charges. For a third time Morgentaler is acquitted by a Quebec 1976 jury. the Supreme Court of Canada. This culminates nearly twenty years of legal battles by Dr. Henry Morgentaler The chronology of this struggle is: 1968 Morgentaler performs his first illegal abortion in Montreal. 1969 Parliament amends the Criminal Code (which previously prohibited all abortions). Abortion remains illegal unless approved by a therapeutic abortion committee for an accredited or approved hospital. 1970 Charges of performing an illegal abortion are laid against Morgentaler at his Montreal clinic. 1973 A Quebec jury acquits Morgentaler on the 1970 charges. 1974 The Quebec Appeal Court overturns Morgentaler's acquittal and substitutes a conviction. He is sentenced to 18 months in prison, and serves 10 months. 1975 In a split decision the Supreme Court of Canada denies Morgentaler's appeal. 1975 (While in prison) Morgentaler is tried on a second charge in Quebec and is again acquitted by a The Quebec govern1976 (Dec.) ment decides the abortion law is not enforcable and drops all outstanding charges against Morgentaler. 1983 Morgentaler opens a Clinic in Winnipeg in May, which is closed after police raid the Clinic. Morgentaler and eight others are charged with"conspiring to procure a miscarriage of females." 1983 The Harbord St. Clinic opened in Toronto in June. In July Dr. Mortentaler, Dr. Robert Scott and Dr. Leslie Smoling are arrested and The Quebec Court of Appeal upholds Morgentaler's acquittal and accepts his use of the defense of necessity as a justification for terminating a pregnancy. 1976 Parliament makes it illegal for appeal courts to (in future) substitute a conviction for a jury acquittal. (Appeal Courts can only order a retrial, not reverse a jury de1976 cision. cal practitioner to use in an acct., dited or approved hospital any mew described in paragraph (a) for the purpose of carrying out her intent: to procure her own miscarriage, if before the use of those means, the therapeutic abortion committee for that accredited or approved hospit( by a majority of the members of the committee and at a meeting of the committee at which the case of suci cludes: female person was reviewed, (a) the administation of a drug (c) has by certificate in wrior other noxious thing ting stated that in its opinion the (b) the use of an instrument, and continuation of the pregnancy of si (c) manipulation of any kind. female person would or would be lit Exceptions (4) Subsections (1) ly to endanger her life or health, and (2) do not apply to and (d) has caused a copy of such (a) a qualified medical praccertificate to be given to the qua] titioner, other than a member of a ified medical practitioner, therapeutic abortion committee for has been - declared unconstitutional by jury. any hospital who in good faith use in an accredited or approved hospi tal any means for the purpose of carrying out his intention to procure the miscarriage of a female person, or (b) a female person who, bein, pregnant, permits a qualified medi 1984 The Ontario Supreme Court rejects the doctors contention that Canada's abortion law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 1984 (Nov.) An Ontario jury a quits the doctors. (The Ontario gov ernment later appeals.) 1985 The Ontario Court of Appe orders a new trail. Morgentaler and colleagues appeal the order to the Supreme Court of Canada. 1986 (Oct.) The Supreme Cow concludes its hearings. The Supren 1988 (January 28) Court rules in favour of Morgentale/ declaring the Canadian abortion law unconstitutional. charged. PREEDOM OP alma CANADIAN ABORTION RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE (CABAL) ASSOCIATION CANAIIIIINIIS TOON la M01? A WAVOSTIINUINT owsks) ac/la The Purpose of CARAT is to ensure that no woman In Canada is denied acces to safe, legal abortion. Our aim is the repeal of all sections of the Crimini Codes dealing with abortion and the establishment of comprehensive cof traceptive and abortion services, Including appropriate counselling across th country. We regard the right to safe, legal abortion as a fundamental human right I support the statement of purpose of GARAI. and wish to become a rawest. Oki. Address: Postal Code: Ooeupetlen: Name of Federal Riding: Individuel Member United Income " Funny' Sustaining Donation 1110.00 13.00 SIS.00 $25.00 RETURN TO:. CARAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay,Ont. P7B 5G6 NoRTOEM WMAk: fct. web t 10 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, �The Case Against Criminal Sanctions obtaining an early termination: they set up phony clinics which delay a woman's search for abortion, they harass women at legitimate clinics, excetpt4 4tom a pozition papet pto&teed by the Canadian AboAtion Rights ALtion League, Manch 1988 and they de-insure the procedure under provincial medical schemes, thereby forcing women to search for money to pay for the abortion. Most importantly, however, a woman receives a late-term abortion because a pregnancy endangers her life or health or because severe fetal abnormality has been diagnosed. Conditions which are a threat to a woman's life include cancer, heart failure, hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, suicidal depression, and AIDS. Amniocentesis, by which fetal abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease and anencephaly are diagnosed, cannot be performed until the 16th week of pregnancy and it may take until the 19th week to make a diagnosis; then comes the search for access to the procedure, and more delay is introduced. The answer to later abortion is not further restrictions - the answer is access early on in the pregnancy. Sex education and birth control counselling reduce the need for abortion per se but also reduce the number of late abortions. Ready access to an abortion facility eliminates delay. And full insurance coverage means that women must not spend time looking for money to pay for the procedure. Thus, people who oppose these measures are, in fact, contributing to the incidence of later abortions. Finally, however, there will always be a need for later terminations if women's lives and health are to be protected and if a woman or a couple is to be allowed to choose whether or not to bear a handicapped child. And this is a decision that must be made by a woman in consultation with her doctor. Where a doctor is uncertain as to what constitutes the best medical practice under the circumstances, he or she will seek an opinion from another doctor - the usual practice for any medical procedure. There is no need to reinforce this practice with criminal sanc- ABORTION AND HEALTH The world over, modern thinking on abortion is moving away from focusing on criminality and towards focusing on the health of women and their families. Abortion is properly seen as a matter of health; no woman should face criminal charges for making a decision which furthers her physical or mental health.... Just as there is no legislation governing other medical procedures and the decision for medical care is based on good medical practice, the decision to have or not have an abortion should be left to a woman and her doctor .... We encourage people to take responsibility for their own health;' taking such initiative should not result in the laying of criminal charges. At all stages of pregnancy a woman's life or health must be protected above all else. Even under s.251 there was no gestational limits on the performing of abortions, and for good reason namely, that at all stages of pregnancy, a woman's life or health must be protected above all else. Nonetheless, some people. are under the impression that new legislation must be enacted in order to restrict abortions in the later stages of pregnancy. But, just as there were no limits under the old law, it is not necessary to have a new law prescribing limitations according to the length of the pregnancy. The huge percentage of abortions are performed within the first 12 weeks of gestation. Statistics Canada figures for 1985 indicate that only 0.2 percent of abortions are performed after 20 weeks. There is no reason to believe that these numbers would increase without a new criminal procedure. There are a number of reasons why abortions are sought after the first trimester. Lack of access to service may cost a woman valuable time; money may be a problem; young women do not know that they are pregnant. The anti-choice movement itself puts obstacles in the way of women tions. What You Can Do What can you do? You can write a letter, send a telegram, or telephone: Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney Prime Minister House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 and Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn Minister of Justice Justice Building Kent & Wellington Sts. Ottawa, Ontario K1A OH8 and tell them that abortion is not a criminal act and that the government must not enact new criminal legislation on abortion. Make your views known now. Send a copy of your letter to your local MP. Remember that postage is not required on letters to the federal government. You can also join CABAL and work with them to ensure Canadian women do have freedom of choice. Send your membership to CABAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay, P7B 5G6 ABORTION AND THE LAW Aftermath of the Supreme Court of Canada Decision It is not accurate to say that there is now no abortion law. The Criminal Code still retains s252, which prohibits the supplying of a drug, instrument, or other "noxious thing" to procure an abortion. This section can be used to prosecute back-alley abortionists. Provincial regulation also remains: all provinces have legislation which prohibits the practice of medicine by people who are not doctors and establishes good medical standards for doctors. (In Ontario this legislation is called the Health Disciplines Act.) There is no need for special legislative provisions governing abortion alone of all medical procedures, There is, therefore, no need for special legislative provisions governing abortion alone of all medical procedures. A doctor who is uncertain as to the proper practice in a given instance will consult another doctor for a second opinion. This is done routinely in medical practice; it is not necessary to mandate such consultation in the case of abortion. Finally, if section 251 were replaced, the provision would have all the same problems as s. 251 had: the standards would be vague and would vary from place to place; the system would inevitably cause delays; and juries may well again refuse to convict doctors who believe that this is a bad way to practice medicine. Moreover, the law would have to take account of exceptions - termination would still have to be allowed to protect the life or health of the woman. Such a law would, in the final analysis, only create delays for women and make abortions even later. Abortion and Health Care Insurance After the Supreme Court of Canada decision, some provinces used that decision as an excuse to limit coverage of abortion. ...The practice of deinsuring an important health care service must be stopped. Under the Canada Health Act, ehe federal government contributes money to the provincial health care insurance plans if these plans meet certain criteria, among them comprehensiveness, universality, and accessibility. Where a plan does not satisfy these criteria, Cabinet is empowered under the Act to withhold all or some of the contributions it makes into that plan. Clearly the federal government must use this power to withhold funds from provinces seeking to de-insure contaceptive and abortion services (as, indeed, they withheld funds from provinces which allowed doctors to extra-bill). Similarly, provincial politicians must be convinced that their mandate does not permit them to deny essential health care 05 its taxpayers. NORTHERN. WPMAN page ,11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �New Women's Resources The National Film Board of Canada is offering a workshop titled Transforming Myths; Using Film To See Ourselves in New Ways. This workshop is for those interested in Women's changing image and changing women's image. It offers an opportunity to view the sexist myths which film has historically reinforced and to re-write the script. Clips from 42 years on National Film Board films along with appropriate group exercises enable partcipants to experience how to transform limiting myths into positive images through the medium of film. The workshop which features a 27 minute film titled Images of Women in National Film Board Films 1945-1987, has earned high praise from educators, film/ video makers, and community groups. How to book the workshop! In the West Marion Dodds #4-31 West 11th St. Vancouver, BC V5Y 1S6 In the East Rosemany: Sullivan 1965 St. Armand Rd. Pigeon Hill, Que. JOJ 1TO Aids and Female Genital Mutilation Campaign-Annual Review. Hanna Edemkpong, Nigeria, West Africa Dear Sisters: The campaign we launched against Aids and the practice of female genital mutilation in November 1986 has reached one year of age. The cam-, paign was launched because of the staggering figure of Aids carriers in Africa, moreso, the overwhelming majority of western victims are male homosexuals and intravenous drug users who share dirty hypodermic needles, but the reverse is true in Africa where the majority are women. Moreover, recent research findings have confirmed that the practice of female genital mutilation opens genital sores and as a result of these operations as well as other sexual Practices by men that may result in lacerations and the flow of blood in the genital area an easy gateway is provided for Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases to enter the bloodstream where they rapidly multiply among white cells, thus Aids has many opportunities to reach women in Africa. In addition, the campaign was prompted by our profound belief that while most or our African women are suffering under ignorance of traditional practices and dying of diseases is because of lack of practical information that could change their lives° Apart from raising the issues of female genital mutilation and Aids at Internation- al Conferences by some African women there has been very little of no local initiative to stop the practice and the widespread of Aids. As a self help, non-governmental women's organization with limited funds, our greatest problem has been lack of funds to run the campaign. Thus we had to make appeals to concerned women, feminist and women's bodies, groups and organizations to come to our urgent help. Although a majority or women who read our appeals failed to respond, few concerned women responded by way of donations. By this support, we were able to cover over 100,000 square kilometres of our countryside and had been able to meet with 5 million rural women whom we dissuaded to partake in the practice of femele genital mutilation and spread of Aids. All the women we met have shown penitence and willingness to refrain from the practice in order to safeguard themselves against Aids, We have also contacted 2 million women by radio and television and another 1 million by newspaper and litetatures. Arrangements have also been completed for the launching of the campaign in other African Countries in 1988 if we have enough financial support from our friends. I wish on behalf of myself and all our women to express our profound appreciation and gratefulness to all of you and all women who concerned themselves with out plight and contributed in cash and kind for the running ou our campaign through which we were able to make such tremendous progress. We have been very much encouraged by your support and solidarity in our uphill walk towards the emancipation of our women from ignorance and disease. We wish to appeal to all of you that our task is such that cannot be accomplished overnight therefore we hope that you will endeavour to give us more support in 1988 so that we may be able to cover our budgetory deficit of $25,000 in our 1988 budget proposals of our campaign programme. Once again, we thank all of you who contributed towards the success of our programme this past year in the interest of international feminism; for those who act to solve problems one small step will make the decade a success not those who spend their time planning and programming the sector. For sending of donations or inquiries write to: Hanna Edemikpong Women's Centre, Box 185, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, West Africa. In Sisterhood, Hanna Edemikpong National Women's Studies Association 1988 Annual Conference will be hosted by the University of Minnesota June 22-26, 1988, The NWSA con-, in Minneapolis. ference, "Leadership and Power: Women's Alliances for Social Change," will explore culturally diverse leadership models and empowerment among women, Over 1,500 women are expected to at- tend the 10th annual NWSA con ference and to celebrate the Association's 11th anniversar Three conferen ce plenary will highlight Amer ican Indian, in ternational an d lesbian issue "American Indian Women: Diverse Leader ship for Social Change," will feature America Indian women a uthors, a lawye and an activis t in Indian hea issues° "Alliances for Social Ch International Voices," will feature women from devel oping countries who will disc networks and issues common to many women in rural communiti "Lesbian Alliances: Com bating Heterosexism in the 80 will feature noted lesbian au thors, artists and activists who will discuss cultural, ec onomic, racial and sexual fac tors perpetuating heterosexis There will be 250 workshops and many cultural event scheduled for the conference including a book exhibit, intercultural exhibitions and entertainers. For further information conta ange: NWSA '88 Conference Office 237 Nolte Center 315 Pillsbury Drive S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455-0139 (612)625-8803 WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT - Quebe City, April 21, 1988. From November 13, 1988, some 500 women from all over Canada, t United-States, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa as we will gather in Quebec City to discuss on the theme "Women a Development". This event, or ganized by the GREMF (Groupe de recherche multidisciplinai fjministe) of Laval Universit will be in fact the 12th Symp osium of the Canadian Institu for Research on Women. Participants will be off ered the opportunity to discu about their lives as women as well as the different develop ment means at their disposal: equal employment opportunity, community programs, etc. Anyone interested in sub jects related to woman activi ies and their concerns, is in ited to attend the symposium which will constitute an inte esting platform for the benef and personal development of w men on the Canadian scene and beyond. On the other hand, t event will allow participants to set up new solidarity networks, whereas a program of cultural activities will favo the meeting of participants o an informal basis. French and English simul taneous translation will be available as various services to handicapped people. For registration, please contact: Service des communi ations, Faculte- des sciences sociales, bureau 3446, pavill Charles-De Koninch, Universit Laval, t61: (418)656-2832. PDF compression, OCR, pa web e. 12 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHEgH (''OMAN �International Feminist Book Fair The 3rd International Feminist Book Fair will be held in Montreal, June 14-19, 1988. This is the first time the Book Fair has been held in North Ameri^a. Two hundred of the world's finest writers will be gathering in Montreal this summer to read their work, debate the crucial feminist issues of the 1980's. A rare opportunity for the Canadian public to discover writers who are household names in their own country but largely unknown to North American readers the Third International Feminist Book Fair will feature: Miriam Tlali, South Africa's only published Black woman novelist, still living in Soweto; Angelica Gorodischer, prize-winning Argentinian author of fantasy and fiction; Nell McCafferty, a leading Irish journalist whose outspoken views have recently been muzzled under Ireland's state security laws. A biennial celebration of women's writing, the Feminist Book Fair was first held in London in 1984, then in Oslo two years later. The Montreal edition promises to repeat these two earlier outstanding successes with panels on: Writing as a dangerous profession; Eroticism; Feminism and Islam; Feminism in North American Native traditions; Pornography and Prostitution; Dreams, magic and symbolism in Latin American literature; Women confront the Medical Establishment; Mystery and Sci-Fi: Redefining Violence?; Censorship; Poetry is also a weapon; Writing in Exile. The Fair has also generated a series of parallel events including art exhibits, theatre, performance, music and other entertainment to add to the festivities. Combining commerce and culture, the Fair brings together publishers, writers, booksellers and related professionals with the aim of expanding the feminist book industry. For more information about the Fair contact the Northern Woman's Bookstore, 344-7979. Book Womb Travels to Fair Have books, will travel and Winnipeg's elusive wimmin's book service are both key phrases which describe THE BOOK. -WOMB. Since its con- ception in 1985 THE BOOK WOMB has grown and changed in ways that reflect the spirit of it's partners, Jahnet Hewsick and Shirley Walker. The values, interests and needs of the wimmin's community are reflected by our ever-increasing and diverse stock of feminist and lesbian writings. We also carry a selection of records, tapes, cards, buttons, postcards and crafts - all wommon-made. Mobility is a key asset and so is The Wombmobile. In June, THE BOOK WOMB will take to the open highway/ congested freeways as it travels to Montreal to be part of the 3rd International Feminist Book Fair. Jahnet will be taking her pretty silver mini-van (dubbed the Wombmobile) to seven eastern cities - Thunder Bay, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal. Each of these cities is home to a wimmin's bookstore which Jahnet will be visiting to promote the Book Fair. She will also be having a workshop at the Fair for those interested in the concept of going mobile with books. The BOOK WOMB herstory begins in 1984 with five wimmin meeting on a regular basis to talk about starting up a wimmin's bookstore in Winnipeg. The only other wimmin's bookstore in Winnipeg had been Brigid's Books. It had been housed in the Women's Building and when the Building closed its doors in 1983, feminist and lesbian literature became scarce again. The five of us were avid readers and book buyers. We liked to travel and to attend feminist conferences and when we went to such places as Toronto, Vancouver, Minneapolis and the Michigan Women's Music Festival we always "hit" the local wimmin's bookstore to stock up. For us and many other wimmin, the importance of feminist and lesbian literature that reflects and validates our lives, as well as challenging us to grow and change, is crucial to our lives. And we wanted to have access to this literature in Winnipeg. We didn't have much money but we were flush with ideas. So began the process of endless discussions around the issues of structure, philosophy, time and energy commitments... and of course how to get the financial resources to make this a reality. Because of other commitments three of the original five founding mothers withdrew from the BOOK WOMB. The first opportunity to display and sell books publicly came at the Canadian Women's Music and Cultural Festival in August of 1985. It was fun and exciting and the response by those who attended the Festival was very enthusiastic. Since then the BOOK WOMB has been present at many wimmin's conferences and special events. The original idea of having a store has more and more given way to the idea of a book service that travels around, making books available to wimmin who don't have regular access to a bookstore. THE BOOK WOMB has travelled to The Pas, Thompson, and Saskatoon. Travelling and meeting new and diverse wimmin are wonderful side benefits to the business of selling books. Sometime, somewhere, Jahnet envisages a permanent location. But for now, "the gypsy in my soul, gets to have her fun". Jahnet and THE BOOK WOMB will be visiting Thunder Bay in early June on their way to the International Feminist Book Fair. Contact the Northern Woman's Bookstore for more information,, Thr Women's Tress- Lesbian writers! Fiction Non-fiction Erotica Poetry Prose Experimental Work Women's Press is looking for manuscripts for a second anthology of writing by Lesbians about Lesbian experience Send to: Women's Press Lesbian Manuscript Group 229 College Street Toronto M5T 1R4 SUB LET An attnactive one-bed/Loom apaAtment available 4oA sub -tet Thom June 30 to mid August to a non-moking, cattoven. Contact Heten at 622-1212 page. 13 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: LIONHEART GAL by Sistren with Honor Ford Smith, The Women's Press (U.K.) wm-Sb with Honor reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS "We create our own material.. All me do is just look back in me life, focus on a lickle situation just paint di picture natural and pretty in words and movement. All life, me did haffi act in order tc survive. Di fantasies and ginnalsh were ways of coping wid di frustre tion. Now me can put dat pain on s and mek fun a di people who cause The book evolved from a plans documentation of the threatre coll tive to be introduced by testimoni from the Sistren. But the testimor "would not sit neatly into an intr ductory section. They refused to b come supporting evidence of predet mined factors... so we gave up try to silence them.." Consequently w have this book of remarkable stori As can be seen (from quotes al many of the women's stories are wr ten in Patwah, which initially mak difficult reading. It is worth the time it takes to study the glossar: become familiar with the terms. Al! you will soon find that the rhythm the writing helps you to transcend language difficulties. The importance of writing in Patwah is sensitively outlined by the editor. Ford-Smith explains that while Patwah is written for performance.."it is not written fo reflection ... yet we know ... tha reflection is part of the process of gaining control over one's own life." She goes on to say "... the language issue is a political issu because language is central to all power relations. It expresses the soul of a people. In our experienc the development of Patwah expresses the refusal of a people to imitate a coloniser, their insistence on creation, their movement from obed ence towards revolution." The stories flowed from each woman answering for herself three questions - "How did you first become aware of the fact that you we oppressed as a woman? How did that experience affect your life? How have you tried to change it? And we are given stories of childhood, of motherhood, of relation,thips, of families, of isolatic of migrating to the city for a 'bet ter' life, of disappointments, of perserverance, of learning, of grox, of strength. Although these stories are uni que, in a sense they are universal. For they are stories of women's cot riEn LIONHEART GAL "Without life, our lives must go on. Without hope, we're not hopeless. Without education, we shall be educated. Without food, we shall be fed. Without a home we shall be sheltered. Without a reality, we shall emerge from captivity. Without all we can stand tall, firm and strong in what we believe in." These few lines from a poem, 'Won't Go Without' by Barbara (p140) illustrate the spirit of LIONHEART GAL. The stories the Sistren tell are filled with courage, with strength, with wisdom, with dignity. I have been trying to review LIONHEART GAL for more than six months I opened the book and could not put it down. I start my review. I read.. .. I write .... I pause to reflect .. .. I re-read a story... I re-read the introductitin. I put my review aside ... come back to it again and again. I am so incredibly moved by this writing but I simply cannot find the words tit do it justice. LIONHEART GAL is compelling because we HEAR the voices of the women speaking. This is real. These are oral her-stories put to print, of fifteen Jamaican women sharing their experience --- their experience of exploitation, opression, isolation, poverty, -- of work, of health, of sexual initiation, of child bearing and rearing, of relationships, of violence. And of the evolving politicized collective awareness of these women. "(we) talk about woman and work and woman and politics. We discuss what is politics and how it affect woman. After we done talk ah get to feel dat di little day-to-day tings dat happen to we as women, is politics too. For instance, if yuh tek yuh pickney to hospital and it die in yuh hand - dat is politics.... If yuh man box yuh down, dat is politics. But plenty politicians don't tink dose tings have anything to do wid politics." (p253) from KINESIS In 1977 a group of workLig class women from an employment program came together and talked about doing a play ... "We want to do plays about how we suffer as women. We want to do plays about how men treat us bad"... So the Sistren collective was born, and has since gained international recognition for its use of theatre and popular education. While the introduction to the book describes the premise and process of the Sistren collective, the impact of Sistren comes clearest from the words of the women themselves. "When we form di group ah began to meet and talk wid odder women. Ah hear dem experience and ah hear dem view. We sit and talk we problem. We improvise and mek plays. After a time we start draw pictures too. After doing dese creative work, we always discuss. Dat is how ah come to find out how and why certain tings happen in me life, how ah can work on di problems and how ah can make it better." "We are planning to do a play... based on our experiences as women from the ghetto. We come together and talk our life story and put it in a lickle scene. The rehearsals make all of us think about our lives. Me did really pass through plenty. Dem should a have some process fi help girls to know what to expect when dem turn woman." ETWIFTWEET-'-e MAT'S NEW IN THE BOOKSTORE More and more wonderful women's literature pours off the presses, Here is just a small sampling. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Aboriginal Women Speak Out as told to Janet Silman ... "I think what really kept us going is our determination to seek what is rightfully ours....We were fighting for our BIRTHRIGHT." A PASSION FOR FRIENDS: Toward a Philosophy of Female Affection, by Janice G. Raymond... "A challenging new theory of female friendship as the basis for feminist purpose, passion and politics. It is a privilege to read this book. MAM DZWIL.7534:WOFsi MYTHS OF GENDER: Biological Theories About Women and Men, by Anne Fausto-Sterling ... "required reading for all who would understand the sexual politics of science". THE SECRET TRAUMA: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women, by Diana E. Russell ... "will be invaluable in helping to combat the denial of incestuous abuse and remediate its effects". WOMEN AND SELF-ESTEEM: Understanding and Improving the Way We Think and Feel About Ourselves, by Linda Tschirhart Sanford and Mary Ellen Donovan, Lots of tiction for your leisurely summer reading as well. CHILD OF HER PEOPLE, by Anne Cameron. age. -____?)OrtaTTNY 11'41:0aR CROSSING THE MAINSTREAM: New tion by Women Writers, edited by 2 E. Laison and Carole A. Carr. THE MONARCHS ARE FLYING by Ma Foster (mystery). OF LQWE AND SHADOWS by Isabel Allende. SOMETIMES THEY SANG, by Helen Potrebenko. Everyone concerned about educ tion will be interested to read Fr Lynn Davies (South Gillies) analys SKIPPING SCHOOL IN EARNEST: Just C for Leaving a Mired System... "Mor than a book about education... val able for all who are concerned abo children and about the future.., a voice of sanity and common sense.. clear-sighted, refreshing, powerfu PDF compression, OCR, web VORTfIERN,WOMANpa0 14 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �1,19RD SEARCH TNEMPOLEVEDCANGER E SNASAKRASSERTIVE TEIIUSEOLPSRMNOOM ANSNMCYTIUQEYAPDC RAIRIAAEDNUSTANTO B E L E Amazon anger Arka assertive aware TSORMZRHKIEAELDN EHESIEEESNTRPNPS CDIGLEFTRTAREPAC OXREDNEGECKWRNHI basis caper care celebrate Ceres child care choice chord class clew code consciousness CEEVOLRADDEEAEOAO SNNWGHHALCWHRWZEU E HENORCIANIDOOAHS L LAODEHEPSOMEPMRN deaf Decade demands development CMDRDCPLSEMSEMAFE AIAGEQUALITYREAAS RACISMLENAIBSELLS dove empower energize equality era O NIPSCPHRNMODEERF feminist flame freedom Gaia gender goddess hag heal Hekate Isis left lesbian love maze moon racism Re Rhea saner Sappho see sexism share sisterhood spa spin spunk squint star tao unite use valid Odin oracle Wendo wommin pain pay equity peace Pele play WOM A N WOR DS Answers from last issue. MARrIS SPED Awol- ALTO A idev T RANcE RANI PoRE MYTH RAN T1 PPER Dol- PO FAGGol" HARMON/ie. AC0A-r PAR1 S ARR C R N r N T S P kE RE W E N DJ CERES CH I S 1 O C H / () t AND-RosEs AhEART oP,TS E T'AL NUCLEI ArviEn1 ER_A ORAL V gl ri P GoRE oGRE A DiT CRDSE D NE ED LA DY R E. s -r- t*********************************** t f *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL T PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION f t * * te****************************irk***** s COMMUNITY INFORMATION Do you have a problem and don't know where you can find help solving it? The Community Information and Referral Centre can tell you where you can find that help, and we take care to ensure confidentiality. Do you need to contact an organization and can't find the number in the telephone directory or can't remember the exact name? The Community Information and Referral Centre has extensive files and tries to keep them up to date. We can usually give you the answer within seconds. Do you need information on senior citizens services? The Community Information and Referral Centre keeps extra information on those services so that seniors can get the help they need promptly and appropriately. Our services are free and our purpose is to provide information to everyone. We also publish a directory of community services (which costs $12) and an interagency newsletter, and we host interagency meetings. We keep statistics and report gaps and inadequacies in services to appropriate organizations and government departments. We are a program of the Lakehead Social Planning Council and are located at 221 Bay St. phone 345-4009. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 �FROM THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA NEW FILMS AND VIDEOS ABOUT CANADIAN WOMEN DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO A SAFER PLACE From the historic encounter between Indian and European in the Canadian northwest emerged a mixed-blood na- 45 minutes C 0186 513 Women with a range of physical disabilities demonstrate how they have overcome obstacles in their careers An inspiring account of how oni tion, the Wis. Here, in a four-part and their personal lives, and what dramatic series that spans two centuries, is their proud story, told from the services are still needed by the handicapped. Captioned for the hearing point of view of courageous impaired. A French version is also available: Le Vent dans les voiles. Metis women. Winner of three 1987 Gemini Awards: Best Pay TV DraBest Actress in a Mini-series. Lillian Gish Award for best mini-series, Women in Film Festival, Los Angeles; Blue Ribbon for Original Drama, 29th American Film Festival, New York; Best film, 1987 International Women's Film Festival, Montreal. DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY 1 (IKWE and MISTRESS MADELEINE) C 0186 138 114 minutes 58 minutes woman has overcome the trauma o being a victim of incest. Now in he thirties, Shirley discusses childhoo( memories of sexual abuse and fam ily violence with her mother, brother; and sister. A film that encourages in cest survivors to break their silence the Third Medikanale Internationale Festival, Honorable matic Program, Best Writing, and Mention C 0187 067 at Parma, Italy. FIREWORDS half-hour segments, each profiling a leading Quebec feminist Three writer. Part 1 focusses on Louky Ber- sianik and her satirical use of language; Part 2 introduces Jovette Marchessault, who works to unearth the ideas of women that history has erased from our collective memory; Part 3 reveals the work of avant-garde poet and post-modern feminist writer, Nicole Brossard. Available on one reel or videocas- sette: C 0186 072, 84 minutes; separately, Part 1: C 0186 073; Part 2: C 0186 074; Part 3: C 0186 075; or in French under the title Les A FILM ABOUT MENOPAUSE Terribles vivantes: C 0286 072. 38 minutes C 0186 043 One of the least understood of women's experiences is menopause. This DOCTOR, LAWYER, INDIAN CHIEF 29 minutes Five native women who have successfully forged non-traditional careers share their experiences and reveal how they drew on the strength C 0186 532 DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY 2 (PLACES NOT OUR OWN and THE WAKE) C 0186 139 115 minutes IS IT HOT IN HERE? is an informative, sometimes humorous, look at social attitudes, symptoms and treatments. THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE: PORTRAITS OF WOMEN of native Indian culture. A French IN MID-LIFE version is also available: L'Avenir est entre nos mains. C 0185 102 58 minutes Ten women from a variety of backgrounds and lifestyles share their ex- PRAIRIE WOMEN ENTERPRISING WOMEN 45 minutes C 0187 009 The little-known story of the vibrant social and political organizations C 0187 063 27 minutes The stories of five female entrepreneurs relay the pitfalls and the founded in the 1920s and '30s by Prairie farm women. Best Documentary over 30 minutes, 40th Yorkton joys of running a business. The women profiled head companies involved in pasta, lumber, fish, silk-screening, Short Film and Video Festival, 1987. and a business academy. periences of menopause and mid-life, describing how this turning point affected their lives and freed them to explore exciting new directions. National Film Board of Canada RENTAL VHS VIDEO ONLY $2/DA These and other NFB pro ductions are available in 11 mm and VHS video. Reset vations can be made in pet son, by phone or by mail. Note: The NFB will sem videocassettes by mail ti viewers located outside Nn distribution centers. All NEI productions can also be put chased in 16 mm and al video formats. Office national du film du Canada NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney (902) 564-7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown (902) 368-4641 - Montreal (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec (418) 648-317 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-5500 - Trois-Rivieres (819) 372-4630 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawa: (613) 996-4861 - Hamilton (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-4661 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472-4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 983-4131 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 - Calgary: (403) 292-5414 Edmonton (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver (604) 666-0716 - Victoria: (604) 388-3868 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Heil Registration No. 5697 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 TRIBUTE p3 THE STORY OF ESMERELDA p4 MATCH p5 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p6 POETRY p7 THE ISSUE IS CHOICE p12 UPDATE p13 THE BOOK WOMB p14 BOOK REVIEW p15 WWII) SEARCH MAIL TO: Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: Name Address (postal cede) o liggieldoat $ 0 .5 lastitutleaal $ 10 Collectively produced CAROLYN GREENWOOD - MARY-ANN KLEYNENDORST JONI MACE - MARGARET PHILLIPS - ROSE PITTIS - CYNTHIA STOLZ :*********************************** I t 1 *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION : RETURN TO: * * * t*********************************** THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR.ISSUES) $5:00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 2 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 2. (May 1988) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Violence against women Women & race MATCH women’s organization Transnational feminism Pay equity Resources for northern women Family violence prevention month Family law seminar Sexual assault prevention month Poetry Abortion access History of abortion Childbirth by choice Dr. Henry Morgentaler Abortion & health care insurance Female genital mutilation, Nigeria Women & development International feminist book fair Book review of Lionheart Gal by Sistren with Honor Ford Smith Feminist film list Authors/Contributors: Violence Subcommittee of the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Decade Council Josie Wallenius Cynthia King Ontario Women’s Directorate Susan Collins Gert Beadle Hanna Edemkpong Cynthia Stolz Carolyn Greenwood Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Joni Mace Rose Pittis Margaret Phillips Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2803/1988_Vol_11_No_3.pdf c064bc5d77f3f0fedf7ce78e4ccd7ba3 PDF Text Text Volume 11 No.3 Thunder Bay, Ontario Northern Woman September 1988, Journal $1 . 5 0 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �the Canada Council that will allow me to travel across the country for interviews and research. If anyone is interested I can be contacted at the address given, and I will explain my project in greater detail and make arrangements for an interview. All information will be strictly confidential and no names will be printed. Thank You Dear Editor: What were you doing during the Vietnam War years? I am collectingpersonal experiences of all facets of Canadian involvement in the war for a book to be published by Harbour in the fall of 1989. Because war is such a male dominated subject, I have to go out of my way to locate women with stories to tell. I found the address of your group through Fem/Direct and am writing with the hope that I may find some women who were involved. For example: relatives of those who fought, medical personnel serving in Vietnam, anti-war activists, women who left the United States in reaction to the war. Would it be possible to put my query in your publication? Even posting my letter on your bulletin board would be helpful. So far there has been no popular overview of how Canadians were affected by this war and I feel very strongly that this is a story that must be told. I have joist received a grant from Jean DuGal 4876 Saskatchewan Ave. Powell River, B.C. V8A 3G4 Our Voice Letter sent to the Northern Women's Centre from the Northern Woman Journal Collective. To Northern Women's Centre Collective: This letter is intended to outline to Women's Centre members our decision to leave the collective space previously enjoyed by Northern Women's Centre, Northern Woman Journal, and Northern Woman's Bookstore. In order to ensure that our feelings are deal ly understood by the Northern Women': Centre Collective we ask that this letter be read into the minutes of the August 2, 1988 business meeting, posted at the Centre, and be includec in the next Centre newsletter. As a collective we feel that oux Ifirst priority is to provide a feminist press alternative for all women. In order to do this the collective requires a space with positive feminist energy. We feel that the Norther Women's Centre is presently unable to offer us a space with this feeling an indication of this is that the rel ationship between Northern Women's Centre and the Northern Woman Journal has deteriorated to the point where we no longer share collective space but exist as landlord and tenant. We had originally arranged to meet with the Northern Women's Centre. Collective after the potluck on July 19, 1988 in order to communicate our intentions face to face in a feminist way. However, we have been forced to deal with this in a patriarchal mat because we were not invited to address all of the Collective members present at the potluck. We hope that this letter and our move will encourage dialogue within the Centre towards regaining the positive energy of which feminists are capable. We see this as a positive step that will allow us to recreate the energy needed to continue publishing the Journal. 1 1 Kim Erickson Seeks iViembers For New Women's Choir YOMEN MUSICIANS WOMEN MUSIC WOMEN ART Women's Music and Art Kim Erickson is back in Thunder Bay after an intensive year of vocal study and composition in Holland. She is now in the process of forming an acapella (unaccompanied) women's choir. Repertoire would include Ukrainian and Balkan music, Kim's own compositions, and African-influenced pieces improvized with the help of the group, and requiring both movement and"body" percussion (hand claps and foot stamps) from the singers. The aim is to begin to uncover what is Women's music today, by building on the lost and dying traditions of our past, Major requirements for potential members are a love of music, singing and moving, and an openness to exploration in this area. It is also helpful to have a good ear and a sense of rhythm, as well as some music-reading skills. Both amateurs and professionals are welcome. Members must be willing to commit an evening of their time every week. A first meeting is currently being organized. If you are interested or require more information, please call Kim at 768-0934. (Don't be shy!) Prehistoric Egyptian terra, cotta figurine fashioned from Nile mud, circa 4000 a C. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �FREE TRADE : By: IS IT A WOMEN 'S ISSUE ? Peggy Smith I recently returned to Thunder Bay, my home town, to take up studies at Lakehead University in the School of Forestry. I have been active since 1985 in the fight against free trade in Citizens Concerned About Free Trade, an organization which originated in Saskatoon. I was dismayed to find almost no organized opposition in Thunder Bay to free trade and was somewhat surprised because Ontario is supposed to be the heart of opposition to this deal in 4' and to isolate groups opposed to the pending talks.... For special interest groups, the documents propose that in many cases the best tactic will be to 'divide and neutralize' groups that oppose the free-trade option.... Canada. Recently there has been a spate of publications about women and free trade and the formation of a new group, Women Against Free Trade. Facing the imminent implementation of the free trade agreement in January 1989, the urgent need for a united opposition to defeat the deal before its implementation by forcing the Conservative government to hold a general election, and this focus on women and free trade has prompted consideration of the question, "Is free trade a women's issue?" Through an examination of the women and free trade publications, an interview with a founding member of Women Against Free Trade, attendance at a Thunder Bay lecture billed "Women and Free Trade," and a brief examination of the practice of Citizens Concerned About Free Trade, I hope to demonstrate that free trade is not a women's issue, but an issue about the survival of our country which should be addressed as such by every Canadiaecitizen--women and men. To ensure we have control over the future direction of Canada, we must stand united against this deal and be aware of how the deal effects our national direction, rather than simply our individual directions, whether as women, workers, consumers, farmers, Native people, or business people. This is not to deny the importance of fully understanding the implications of the free trade deal for each Canadian or particular groups of Canadians, but to narrow the scope of the examination of the deal, or to fail to put an examination of the deal in a larger context, and, worse, to limit that questioning to a particular group will lead to ineffective opposition at a time when a strong, united grass roots movement among Canadian people will be the only action that will stop the giveaway of our country. ..ineffective opposition Knowing the Conservative government's strategy to sell free trade to Canadians reinforces my concern about how best to oppose the deal. In 1985 a secret Conservative government document outlining the government's strategy was leaked to the Toronto Star (Sept. 20/85): The program calls for Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to focus exclusively on the possible benefits of free trade, to avoid mentioning possible job losses, to discredit Liberal and New Democrat MPs who raise concerns about the free-trade negotiations 'Such an approach must take full account of the risks inherent in the issues while ensuring that a positive, confident tone is projected--a sense of real opportunity for Canadians in all regions to advance their own best interests.' the government has followed its strategy to the letter. The Tories have in place a wide-ranging publicity campaign to "sell" free trade, to the tune of millions of dollars of taxThis campaign payers' own money. includes the production of glossy pamphlets addressing particular groups, including one entitled "Canada's New Free Trade Agreement: How It Benefits Canadian Women." In it the government promises: Canadian women will share. in the growing economy that Free Trade will bring.... Free trade means: more and better job opportunities for women and men; lower consumer. prices and greater choice in goods and services; retention of our Canadian values,institutions, and social programs; higher family incomes; and wider economic opportunities for our children into the 21st century. Sleep comes no easier after reading more about the government's secret strategy: At the same time, a substantial majority of the public may be willing to leave the issue in the hands of the government and other interested groups if the government maintains communications control of the situation. Marjorie Cohen has made a tremendous contribution to the debate on free trade. An economist who has spoken publicly against free trade, written an essay "Women and Free Trade" in Duncan Cameron's The Free Trade Papers (James Lorimer, 1986), published her own book Free Trade and the Future of Women's Work (Garamend Press, 1987), made a submission to the Parliamentary Hearings on Free Trade on behalf of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women in 1987, she has pointed out how the free trade deal will affect women: It will increase women's unemployment; it will confine women's work to an even more narrow range of occupations than we already have; it will adversely affect women's ability to pursue better working conditions through unionization; it will accentuate the wage gap between males and females; and it will inhibit the effective use of social policies to correct labour market inequalities between males and females. Also, we think it will increase the privatization of social programs. She explains her interest in free trade and women thus: All problems should be of interest to women, particularly those related to the economy, because women more than men are liable to be Zong to the Zowincome group that has the most to lose through this initiative. (Address by the National Action Cttee to Parliamentary Hearings.on Free Trade, November 5, 1987) But it is just this narrowing of focus to how free trade will affect women that has led to shortcomings in her analysis and limited the audience she is able to reach. Her book Free Trade and the Future of Women's Work gives information about the Canadian economy that is general and should be read by all Canadians, but how many will pass it over because it deals with "women's work"? By narrowing the focus of the book to women's job losses in manufacturing and the service sectors, questions, distracts tne reaaer Irum drawing conclusions about overall job losses, national sovereignty, and the source of the free trade push: American multinationals with their Canadian subsidiaries and government supporters in both the U.S. and Canada. Describing the effects on the food processing industry, Cohen states: The Canadian Food Processors Association estimates that twenty plants will close and production will become more concentrated in a few large plants. This would mean an immediate loss of many product lines and about 3,000 full-time jobs. (p. 30) She gives one line to what I would consider the crux of the problem, Canada losing control over its food supply: In particular, Canada would cease to be self-sufficient in a number of fruit and vegetable commodities. Rather than examining the implications of Canada losing control over its food supply, a problem exacerbated by treaty terms covering many other food production areas, Cohen concludes: The loss of employment in the food processing sector would affect women in manufacturing across Canada because the industry is regionally dispersed with plants located in every province. After a thorough analysis of U.S. corporate interests in various service industries from health care to child care, and hinting at the potential of free -trade in services- If free trade in services is negotiated so that the right of national treatment and the right of establishment are guaranteed, we may well see more of our health care privatized and being carried out by American health groups. p 76)-con't on p13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN adge:3 �FEMINIST BOOK FAIR By: Margaret Phillips There were more books than any feminist could read in a lifetime. Thousands and thousands and thousands of books. There were 275 publishers and 212 authors from 55 countries. And hundreds more women - booksellers, translators, editors, artists, actors all gathered at the 3rd International Feminist Book Fair in Montreal June 14-18, 1988. And we read and we talked and we listened and we struggled and we laughed and we cried, as we celebrated the vision, the courage, the strength, the creativity, the passion of feminist writers. "Feminist consciousness stimulattansgtessive, and Vihtes subvetzive, tualy otigina/ thought in us. We ate constantly called upon to innovate, to invent strategies and novel positions, and to petceive new, appeating sounds. Like an opera o- desite, that each one (16 uz can syntonize in evety language, these sounds modulate out voices and send them resonating out oven teatity." SISTER VISION PRESS is a teAtection o4 OUA tives as non-white women in this country. It teptesentz QUA ongoing smuggle sot survival and visibitity in a society that is tac-1st, aeassist, sexist and homophobic. We cute pubtishing in a countty that stite denies that &tacks once existed as staves o6 white people hete. A country that whispeA that people o4 colour have no histoty here. A countty whete the powets that be think it is a waste (,4 time {yon stu- dents to teatn about the histoty o4 the Native people, the Japenese people, the Chinese people and the many other Thitd Wottd peoples who tive in Canada." (SISTER VISION PRESS) ARNAWALE 1.414.f.61110TE DWAU 19 AdIV 1968 tvIONTREAL (Nicole Btossatd) 'ONLYWOMEN, Btitain's sore lesbian tishets) whethet ditectey thkough toss o4 otdets PLUM Local tibtaties and {funded bookshops, ot inditectey through a process o4 set4-censotshi) 4tom bodies which don't 6cLet undet the ptovision o6 the new taws. OWL publishing venture chattengez these teatities and out Aeminism is the bl 6tom which we work. We betieve we can and do speak to a growing nor bet o4 women and we'te determined t( shout SHEBA 4tom the too4tops." (SHEBA - FEMINIST PUBLISHERS) But there were yet more publis hers to discover. I only regret tha being unilingual I was unable to fu ly appreciate the extensive Quebeco feminist literature or the Latin Am erican and European publishing. But I welcomed the chance to learn abou Kali for Women (India); Tana Press (Nigeria); New Women's Press (New Zealand); the University of West In dies Press --- and to meet writers publishers from the Phillipines, Zii babwe, the Caribbean and Central Am ica. The Fair was an amaging event. Superbly organized with the leadership of Ariane Brunet and Diana Bronson and the help of hundreds of volunteers. As a bookseller/reader the Trade Show was sufficient joy in'itself. (I found at least lop books I want to make available to Northwestern Ontario readers. rrIrhaV-e-IQG-old tteg-e-titIes in stock by the end of September and another 100 by November - I promise you.) The first two days of the Fair were closed to the "trade" with workshops specific to publishers, editors, booksellers, etc., and organized and spontaneous meetings of bookstores and periodicals. (There will be a Canadian Feminist Periodicals Conference in 1989!) There was time as well to bookbrowse and to talk to the publishers to meet the women from the small presses that make a feminist bookstore possible. Our Canadian feminist presses: Sister Vision, Women's Press, Press Gang, Gynergy/Ragweed, Lilith the new Native press Write-On, and Theytus - who along with Pemmican give us the opportunity to obtain Native women's writing. From the. U.S. were Firebrand, Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, Spinsters/Aunt Lute, Cleis, Seal, Naiad, the Feminist Press, Chicory Blue. From the U.K. Women's Press, Virago, Onlywomen, Sheba, Feminist and Ireland's Attic Press. These are the presses that are the "heart" of women's bookstores. These are the presses that make women visible. "We (SISTER VISION PRESS) ate Canadian Aeminist pubtishets whose ptiotity iz pubtizhing books by Btack women, Asian women and Native women in Canada. We wanted to devetop a press that ... wowed date to take tusks, a press that wowed work with wtitetz in Canada, aftitets who _Ott they had nothing to say, but whose vow lives spoke volumes. We knew we didn't want to sepatate activism Atom wtiting Understanding that the "price one book equals one-tenth of one's monthly wage" (Donna, Stree lekha, India) makes you more aware of the challenge being met by Third World publishers. '60)t (14; eadit6.7o6 what u have done in the past {yew yeah, is contained not only in the books we have pubtished, but art in the acts vibes and debates we have patticipc ted in, the matetiaes we have devetc ed, and the links we have sttengthey ed with the movement. Thus 4ot us, the Autute o6 KALI does not only mec mote and mote books and subsequent-et, (hope6utey!) commetciat success ... it also means a steady, setiouz and growing potiticat commitment." (KALI FOR WOMEN, INDIA) We (SHEBA) want to be bad and put ounsetves on the intetnationat map, make mote connections actoss continents, get out books better known and say loud and cleat that 4eminist publishing can be both a successAut pa-Uticat and business project. SHEBA is at the centte 06 CUA working and potiticat lives and yet we ate ate 4otced to seek wotk etsewhete in otdet to survive. Such 416 the nature (16 smart publishing evetywhete Let us be cream: Btitain today suiAetz Ptom racism, otchesttated backlashes against lesbians and gays, and an incteased economic division between those who have money and powet and those who don't. Ctause 2g, which wowed ptevent Local authonities atom 'ptomoting homosexuatity', on suppotting 'ptetended Aamities', win aiAect pubtishing, (and especially Important and exciting as the trade days were the essence of an International Feminist Book Fair emploded in the final four "public" days, through workshops and panels on the themes of Memory, Power and Strategic of Feminist Consciousness. "Memoty is a theatte o4 the bod the Ainst stage in teptesentation. Whether we tike it on not, memory is always with us, just beneath the sot Aace (,4 the skin: prickly, embedded, tenacious as a sea etch in, OA Zustto tangoutouz supple as sick .... with the help o4 wotds and images, we jou ney .through the ptimotdiat landscape 06 memory: a (w)tite:o4 passage thto ugh ptivate and cottective tettitoty on which ate based QUA certitudes an out dreams. In memory we bind the se tet Aite that consumes out energy wh le simuttaneousty teptenishing its intensity." (Nicole Btossatd) con't on p12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor ANT tin& 'Wahl page 4 �RESOURCE CENTRE Ontario Women's Directorate SUMMER EXPERIENCE 1988 Summer is slowly coming to an end and so are the community Summer Experience programs sponsored by Ontario Women's Directorate and Ministry of Skills Development. Thanks to Decade Council, Faye Peterson Transition House, Atikokan Crisis Centre and Chadwic House, Wawa for providing excellent projects with positive working and learning experiences for young women. Periodicals - Soon to be available - Resources fc,r Feminist Research - Healthsharing - Breaking the Silence New Audio-Visuals - Doing It Ourselves: 20 minute VHS about rural women in Huron County, their concerns and self help groups formed during the project. New Books Taking Sex into Account: Policy Consequences of Sexist Research, CRIAW Best' wishes to Delene Devisscher, Barbara Grace, Cheryl Kitzel, Margaret Campbell and Catherine Pappas (OWD) as they wrap up their work, pack up their belongings and begin another year in university. UPCOMING EVENTS Laval University research group on women's issues 12th Annual Conference of Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) Date: November 11, 12 and 13, 1988 Theme is Women .1.1c1 Development: Women from Here and Elsewhere Telephone: 1-(418)-656-2832 Colloque 88,47 Conference in Longlac sponsored by Francophone Women of Geraldton, Nakina and Longlac. Date: September 16, 17 and 18 Employment Equity Workshop for employers - re: Women and Native people at Ramada Inn, Thunder Bay Sponsored by Ontario Women's Directorate Date: November 4,1988 Workshop for Parents, Teachers and other Professionals - TEENAGE DATING VIOLENCE Date: October 12, 1988, Valhalla Inn For further information call Charles Casselman, 623-2218 COVNUNITY CONSULTATIONS Women from Kapaskasing, Kenora and Thunder Bay met on August 10 to preview television ads produced by Ontario Women's Directorate to be aired during November 1988. These ads are part of the Directorate's campaign to encourage us all to realize that as a community we must take responsibility for the prevention of violence against women and that batterers must be held criminally accountable for their Women's Reality: An Emerging Female System in a White Male Society, A. Schaef Women and Poverty, University of Chicago Press Feminism in Canada from Pressure to Politics, Black Rose Books Ltd. NEW VIDEOS Here Today Where Tomorrow a 26 minute docudrama designed to assist young people, especially girls, with career preparation. The video is complemented by group discussions with teenagers commenting on school, relationships and the impor An excellent resource or guidance counsellors and teachers. A teacher guide is available. An Even Break - 22 minutes. This management training video speaks to the issues of disabled, visible minorities and non-traditional work for women in the workplace. A joint effort of the Directorate and the Oshawa Group, the video is aimed at private and public sector management levels where hiring decisions public. ,Thank you to the women who provided us with their special insight of this issue and their positive discussion and feedback. OWD received an overwhelming number of applications for grant funds from groups across Ontario to provide public education programs in their communities. Northern Ontario groups to receive funding are: Northwest Atikokan Crisis Centre Hoshizaki House, Dryden Rainy River District Committee on Family Violence, Fort Frances Geraldton Family Resource Centre Kenora Family Resource Centre Northshore Family Resource Centre, Marathon Women in Crisis, Sioux-Hudson North Beendigan, Thunder Bay Comite Contre La Violence Faites Aux Femmes, Thunder Bay Interagency Response to Wife Abuse/ Assault Group, Thunder Bay Decade Council/Faye Peterson Transition House Northeast Union Culturelle des FrancoOntariennes, Chapleau Elliot Lake Women's Crisis Centre Pavilion Family Resource Centre, Haileybury Habitat Interlude Family Resource Centre, Kapuskasing CMHA Family Resource Centre, Matheson Manitoulin Haven House Inc. Weechakewen Centre, Moosonee Nipissing Transition House/Family Life Centre, North Bay Esprit Place Resource Centre; Parry Sound Sturgeon Falls Family Resource C Violence, Sudbury Centre de Counselling Familial Timmins Inc La Federation des Femmes Canadiennes Francaises, Sudbury ' Good luck to all of you. Please call our office with any questions or concerns you might have and remember we have publications and a resource centre available,to you. are made. Women in Ontario - 12 minute video dealing with the expected life patterns of 100 teenage girls based on recent statistics regarding women in terms of marriage, child bearing, sole support parenting, the workforce, divorce, etc. h40-4.-6-49-9 NO T I CE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY March 8, 1989 The Ontario Women's Directorate, Northern Office has some funds available for International Women's Day activities in Northern Ontario. For further details contact 345-6084 actions. One ad is aimed at women; the other at men. Both will be available in French, and English. Brochures in Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Chinese (Cantonese) will also be produced and available to the FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH - NOVEMBER This page is sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The material contained on it may be photocopied and distributed without permission, but with credit to the original source or the Ontario Women's Directorate. NEW FUNDING PROGRAMS Federal Childcare Initiatives Health and Welfare Canada will fund childcare projects and programs which assist in the development of new services and enhance existing ones. The focus is on unique needs and underserviced areas. Eg. native children, special needs children, part-time and shift work services, rural and flexible services, etc. $100 million is available over 7 years. For information and application forms contact: Childcare Initiatives Fund Health and Welfare Canada Brooke Claxton Building 6th Floor Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1B5 (613) 954-8255 Telephone (613) 957-0638 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy NORTHERN of CVISION WOMAN PDFCompressor )9w. �WOMYN'S MUSIC: By Jane Saunders and Keri Shephardson This year, Olivia Records celeThe brates its 15th Anniversary. incorporation of Olivia Records officially marked the start of the "Womyn's Music" recording industry. Prior to that time, in the late 1960's and early 170's, there was some activity in New York, led by Alix Dobkin, Kay Gardner and Maxine Feldman. Their pioneer efforts have long been recognized as important and it is only because of the early diligence of these and other women that music has become a significant component of the growing womyn's culture. Who are the people involved in womyn's music? After 20 years of womyn's music, we have 2 major rec ord labels (Redwood and Olivia), numerous smaller independant labels and many networks, large and small, throughout the United States and .Canada which help spread o'ir womyn's music and culture. There are many more people involved with womyn's music than just the artists themselves. There are producers and managers Evand promoters and distributors eryone involved in any capacity has helped the "womyn's music" industry grow to what it has become today. What are the elements which make womyn's music truly unique? (unique that is to say, a music not "popular", not supported by the public at large, not in the "mainstream ", not the dominant'style of music - an alternative form of music.) One need only turn on the radio or watch a music video to experience the derogation of women that is promoted by the popular music industry. The "good girl/ bad girl" dichotomy, the "metal queen" and the helpless lover/ victim are all negative stereotypes which are continuously reinforced in the mainstream. In contrast, womyn's music exposes the listener to real life, positive, healthy women of all ages, walks of life and character. I believe this to be the most appealing element of womyn's music. In addition to reinforcing positive role models, our inter-relations are celebrated, our struggles supported and our spirits set free to explore and expand. Our celebration of sisterhood is often the subject of song - "Every Woman", and Southern gospel-influenced Teresa Trull classic and Holly Near's "You Bet". Meg Christian's haunting "The Rock will Wear Away" explores our life cycles. Our caring and love for one another is expressed often and with great musical richness. Margie Adam's "Tender Lady", Holly Near's "Rock Me in Your Arms" and Cris Williamson's "Waiting" are only three of the gems from which to choose. Social concerns ranging from nuclear war to farming and prison to Vietnam highlight many women's songs as well. Works like "Fight Back" (Holly Near) and "Woman's Anger" (Heather Bishop) have become anthems in our struggle against daily oppression. Meg Christian's poignant "Rosalind" is a strong statement in interracial relations. Similarly, "Child" by Holly Near and "A Child's Voice" by Quebec native Lucie Blue Tremblay address the tragedy and horror of child abuse. While there has always been a mixing of styles from the past, a topic of more current interest (the last five years) is the influence of mainstream music, as seen in the albums "A Step Away" by Teresa Trull and "Don't Hold Back" by Holly Near° Although this potentially dangerous musical/political move may seem unfounded, the natural progression of certain artists to explore and accept the influences of more mainstream sounds is a healthy one. In order to grow, all artists must change and expand their musical horizons. In do soing, the resulting product of newer sounds within older styles is an exciting one. Musically, each singer/ songwriter has her own style. It is a joy for the avid listener of womyn's music to learn the distinguishing elements which make each artist unique. For example, Cris Williamson's earliest heartfelt albums. "Cris Williamson" and the classic "Changer and the Changed", present a musical style relying on emotion and'vocal power. Her progression from the mellow rock album "Blue Rider" to the present "Prairie Fire" and "Wolf Moon" albums clearly demonstrates her musical growth. While continually changing the sounds of her music, Cris williamson has retained the ability to 0 In many cases, womyn's music had become a vehicle for women to make known their political and social concerns for our world. Fundamentally, womyn's music has some musical ties to folk music. Like folk music, womyn's music grows as part of the tradition of a community or group. The reliance on aural transmission of the music, passing on "by word of mouth" so to speak, follows folk tradition as well. Musically, these two styles share a concern for melody, the expression of a story, feelings or characters through lyrics and comparatively simple music is an example of the similarities between womyn's music and folk music. However, each individual who has contributed to the development of womyn's music has brought her own style and musical influences. Musical elements from jazz, pop, rock, classical, gospel, country, blues, acoustic, Latic and ethnic styles are not only abundant but essential in any discussion of womyn's music. write songs in her original style, that of simple yet beautiful melody and innovative choral progressions. Meg Christian's melody writing truly magical. Her guitar accompani ments are sensitive and technically impressive. Most importantly, her musical observations of relationshi life and human nature, which she ex presses through song, are valuable ones. Meg's songs showcase her sens /f humour ("Ode to a Gym Teacher"), her sense of self recognition ("Tur ning it Over"), and her growing sense of spirituality PS heard in t ethereal"Darshan". Womyn's music fans anxiously await Meg Christian' return from her journey of selfdiscovery. While we wait, we have a wealth of songs to discover and fully appreciate. Holly Near - musician, poet, a tivist and dramatist - has done muc to bring womyn's music to the "outside" world. Her concerns for our world and our movement are reflecte with style and distinction in her a Musically, her choice of colourful chords, finely crafted melody lines and accompaniments and word paintin making the music sound like the wor musical onomatopeia so to speak. make her style ecclectic and progressive. From many of her earlier al. bums, Holly Near has given us some womyn's music classics. "Imagine My Surprise" and "Something About the Women", to name only two, are insightful poetic statements which gi, us strength and inspiration. One of the most powerful voice: in womyn's music today is our ox(/.4,,,, Heather Bishop of Woodmore, Matitob( With depth and insight, she sings of Canadian life and pride, as well as our environment, our land and our foremothers. Becauc2 The is influenced by many types of music, her style is a memorable and widely appealing one. Although these women are all vc successful, there is more to womyn's music than the individual success of each artist. The sense of community which evolves around the many artist serves as an inspiration to us all. On many of the early albums, artists combined their talents; Meg Christie "I Know You Know" and Holly Near's "Imagine My Surprise" are only two examples of the collective effort. This continues today as female producers, recording engineers, arrangers (Mary Watkins is one of the best and studio musicians combine their talents to produce the high quality recordings which we buy. Many women artists own and/or operate their owr recording lables: Heather Bishop (Mc they of Pearl Records), Alix Dobkin (Women's Wax Works), etc. The use of such alternatives to relying on the mainstream, heavily male-dominated recording industry ensures that womyn's music can be recorded and dist/ ibuted while maintaining its inherer integrity. The variety and, diversity of womyn's music is wonderful!! For those who have musical tastes which incluC any or all of jazz, rock, country, new-age, reggae, classical, gospel, traditional music, there are many female artists who perform in these styles. Jazz music fans will undoubt edly enjoy Rhiannon and Alive, who recently opened at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. con't PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NOFTH,ERN WOMAN pag e 6 �Women's Music (continued) o o763AYeko 0,samagx°_,Gvb_,A6v0.4"V 'k0 Deuce, a jazz-funk instrumental duo from New York, is one of my favourite acts at Michigan and on record. For those who enjoy the healing properties of music, Kay Gardner ushers in the New Age, as does Beth York. Cassleburry and Dupree is a fine reggae duo, mixing rhythm, social issues and politics in music. Of special mention is Canadian dub poet, Lillian Allen of Toronto, who is a vibrant performer and creator of musical/poetic art. Pianists/singers Margie Adam and Debbie Fier both blend jazz and acoustic styles into smooth, easy-going instrumental/vocal music. Sweet Honey in The Rock is an a capella group which combines the gospel style and social politics encased in lush harmonies. For easy listening, soft rock/pop vocalists, Lucie Blue Tremblay, Deidre McCalla, Hunter Davis and Jasmine are unbeatable! For those who prefer rock, Tret Fure and Sherry Shure (Cana dian) are both fine performers in this These are the lyrics to an original composition by Jane Saunders which was performed at the recent London Status of Women Action Group 10th Anniversary Celebration by the choir Womyn's Voice. OUR SISTER1100D FOA too Long, Out voice4 have been zitent, We were Living in the datk, We knew nothing oA out power, Then we iat the zpatk. area. Unfortunately, few written resources exist on the subject of womyn's music, Of those that do exist, many of the writings are contained in books which feature womyn's culture, including arts and literature. "Our Right to Love" is a genuine treasure chest of infor- The 6paniz butzt into Lame, The game grew into tight, And now we know That out voicez ate out tigh;('-.. ma tion. We witt We witt Fot out Fot out Possibly the best written resource is the "Lady slipper Catalogue and Resource Guide" - an annotated catalogue which lists musical and literary recordings by women. This publication profides advertising and an ordering service for mghy women-run alternative labels. Hot Wire, the Journal of Women's Music and Culture, is an excellent quarterly focusing on all aspects of womyn's Although only a few artists have been mentioned, countless women exist who are developing their own style of "womyn's music". Some of these women have recorded and distributed their music; some play in coffeehouses and at marches or rallies; some play only for themselves and friends. Wherever women are performing music - by, for and about women - womyn's music exists and will be passed on to entertain, inspire and enrich all who have the opportunity to experience it. zing out Loud, zing out proud, STRENGTH FREEDOM Fait out SISTERHOOD. NottThey 5peafz o6 Love, They zing of batttez we have And of 4ttuggtes yet to come, And they zing o6 ptide. OA ptide Sot what we ate, 0A ptide dot what we'LL be, Out 6eatz have kept us bound, Now out zpitit zetz uz 6tee. We witt. zing out Loud, Ne witt Fot out Fot out Fot out zing out proud, STRENGTH FREEDOM. SISTERHOOD. References: 1. Ladyslipper Catalogue, 1987 c. 1986 Ladyslipper Inc. 2. HotWire Volume 4 Number 3, July88 3, HotWire Volume 4 Number 2, March88 fATAO* Northern Woman'sBookstore CONGRATULATES Ruby Slipperjack ON THE PUBLICATION OF HER NOVEL HONOUR THE SUN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN'. 'peccie.' �'Ike World needs the. love of a ree woman The world needs the Cove of a free woman not the love of a good woman there's already too much of that good woman's Cove waiting in the bantustans while her husband's soul is mined deep in South Africa. input* of the love of n. good. woman Jar in the dark my at a high small window Lying on a bed Ct131.419 in her steep not to disturb the others. The world needs the love of a free woman but early to the suburban gleam assisting the suds and cleansers at their chores to the woman whose dreams are dried and stacked on tininatufate shelves her mask now fixed for the trick the hoax the stench of tile's betrayat a curse without deftance. Poor bitch, gnawing at the bars of your penalty tour children know the love that cuts the heart of the holder tts dishevelled fogicat madness. The world has seen and seen dui one who keeps these things in her heart she kneels beholding the bleeding feet of her boy Messed ddrt Thou Among Women and never a nuisance. Me. world needs the love of a tree woman t4410 jOrtfltVeS nod. but. doesn't ask. him for an explanation for her brother's murder her daughter's rape her mother's unrepresented fife. She speaks loud naming ties she moves deartng the piercing forest of guns and crosses held aloft she works pfanttng the hopes mut jatilu.n9 fram. tha Ficarczan the thoughts of the free. women rising to mullions from this shantytown an Peacock Ciutstrhurch, batfiados PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 �What " you Were Both Too young' really tans 't was his cherished. doff, To dress up and show off 'lo all his frtetuts, fifteen at a sittuig-'lake some money.' he soul Buy a dress so 1. can take you to the bars." but 1. bought a dress for farriilii werldtruis And a matronly bathing suit That my mother's boyfruend nut& fun of. 't was his kitten An amusement for the bribil gunny and wild kitten aro-wing placid and fat. The kitten never knew its place And once '4 saved. its Itfe (from gun) When it took, one situ* bite from his barely-alive houseplants. 1. was the dancing chicken Scratching neat little ink treatises Ile couldn't read. 'it's good.' he'd say " but what does it mean?" fie was proud of me without Ever understanding he was afraid. of me, unable 'Jo rapture my thoughts. peturtratert nul soul, Thrusting fits sword Itn-tit 1. lay bleeding The depth of the wound It)as the measure of our love. Susan Gothns Life Ln the Valley 'The woman who rented my old apartment getttru3 married., she came there. a tsar a9o, haul.; with grief and tears. 't could tell by her dainty ttuncing walk and pampered skin it would not be long before some old soldier saw fits duty and gave her fragile helpless hands some mascuttrie support. A winter in her mobile home in Florida produced the reason for this giggling oldster who is now selling off every memory of her and. Papa, 1 bought her old eight tracks heavy with nostalgia. and Vera Lynn. fle is there beside her, Cooking good carrying out what she names the garbage. it's like. starting over she chirps and 1 can see that it is a new chapter in an old song, but the tune wilt be the. same. 'lakes me wonder what madness makes some of us see no virtue in fragile need when its so productive. aert Beadle PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN txtae 9 �Set Back For Day Care! By: Margaret Phillips On July 25, 1988, Bill C-144 (the Canada Child Care Act) was introduced in the House of Commons. At the time of writing this article (Sept. 5) tht Bill has passed second reading and is before Committee. It is expected to receive third (and final) reading in mid-September, and with the massive Conservative majority the Bill will undoubtedly pass. If this Bill is enacted it will set back the development of day care for decades. The hyperbole surrounding the introduction of this policy camoflagues the reality of its intent. This legislation will, in effect, restrict the expansion of day care. What it means is that this legislation is WORSE than no new legislation at all. While there are many aspects of this legislation that are flawed, the most serious problem for Northwestern Ontario day care is the restriction placed on the province concerning child care spending. The existing system, the Canada Assistance Plan, is an open-ended cost-sharing between the federal and provincial governments. Thus, the responsibility for day care expansion rested on the province. When the province expended day care services the federal government was required to contribute its 50% share. Under Bill C-144 ceilings are placed on what the provinces can spend. It is suggested that because of this restriction the modest expan sion plan of the Ontario government must be cut-back by 15%, and that Ontario's current planning presumes this restriction. The effects of this cut-back are already being felt. Limitations on subsidy-spaces have been imposed on many day care organizations including (for the first time in memory) the City of Thundey Bay. Across Northwestern Ontario existing day care services are experiencing extensive waiting lists. The demand for expanded services is obvious NOW ... a restriction on expansion will exacerbate the crisis. Bill C-144 has many other flaws. It fails to recognize or support the diversity of needs for high quality child care services across the country. Bill C-144 lacks national objecNational objectives and federal criteria for provincial participation in cost-sharing are essential features of other effective national social programs in Canada. Without the inclusion of strong guiding principles setting out a long-term vision for a national child care system, Bill144 will entrench the current fragtives. Decade Council The Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council will hold their Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 22, 1988 at the Airlane Hotel - Tiberio Room. Decade Council has undertaken a number of special projects. FREE TRADE AND PRIVITIZATION: A WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN will be available at the Decade office by the end of September. The package contains background information and discussion papers, a quiz, Fact Sheets, Quotes from politicians, publications, position papers and notable Canadians. The kits were developed through the summer with money made available from a SEED grant and Kirsty Barclay and Cathy Woodbeck were the principle authors. The project was undertaken to demystify the Free Trade agreement and to help women make an informed decision about this issue. The package/kits will be presented as a workshop at Decade's Annual meeting. MUNICIPAL/EDUCATION ELECTION BROCHURE "Ask Your Candidate": Through the summer Lynda Falvo worked on nreparing the issue sections of the election brochure for the upcoming municipal and board of education ele ctions. Background information and questions focus on: Economic Development, Women and Decision Making, Housing, Violence, Child Care and Employment Equity. The guide will assist women in assessing a candidate's position on women's issues and help her make an informed choice. This work Tins also made possible through a SEED grant. WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DECISION MAKING: a report was researched and prepared by Barbara Grace to understand how effective women in decision making positions feel they are. Approximately 100 questionnaires were distribute to women on various economic decision making bodies across Northwestern Ontario.'Ques tions focused on how women felt about their involvement and participation in decision making. The results of the questionnaire were written up in narrative form, to make up the bulk of the report. The Economic Development Committee plan to study the report in the fall and make recommendations prior to publicly releasing the document. Funds were made available for this project through the Ontario Women's Directorate. BOARD. DEVELOPMENT Throii-,h fundirw from northern Development and mented approach to child care in Cana A further problem is that this r legislation appears to leave low income families vulnerable. Under the Canada Assistance Plan low income families were assisted with child car costs. Bill-144 provides no guarant( that such assistance will continue. The provision of public funding to for-profit (commercial) day care operations is of immeasurable concert to day care advocates. All research demonstrates that, on average, the quality of care in commercial centre! is inferior to that provided by nonprofit services. (Child ratios, staff training, staff turnover, health and safety, wages and working conditions are all quality factors.) Bill C-144' support for commercial day care, coul led with possible free trade scenarios, can see the infusion of large All erican day care chains, which will create serious problems for years to come. Also lacking from Bill C-144 is any provision for enhanced maternity leave, parental leave, family responsibility leave. These aspects must be addressed in an adequate day care policy. For the past four years day care parents, workers and advocates from across Northwestern Ontario have taken every opportunity to put forward our vision of a comprehansive, highquality, non-profit day care system that will meet the diverse needs of Northwestern Ontario children and fan It is obvious that the federE ilies. Conservative government have ignored our recommendations. Bill C-144 is a serious set-back to all who desire social policy that will ensure our The children receive quality care. enactment of Bill C-144 will clearly be a disaster. It is the well-being of our children that is at stake. Mines a video is being produced to b trAed as a board training tool for bo ards of Transition Houses and Family Resource Centres. The package will cover a history of the battered women's movement in Northwestern Ontaril and the issues of violence against women. SOCIO ECONOMIC PROJECT: the Economic Development Committee is under taking a seven month research projec that will guide Decade Council and tl Committee to address and adequately represent the issues and concerns of Northern women as they pertain to so cio-economic development. It is anticipated that this information will a so provide local, provincial and federal governments with a clear pictur of the identity of women residing in Northwestern Ontario and thus enable them to formulate and implement more appropriate and relevant policies. Copies of RUN TO WIN, a how to manual for women running for municipal office are available at the Decade office. For anyone who has not already purchases a copy of NORTHWESTERN ONT ARIO STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES the are still available. They make wonde ful gifts and Christmas is not far away. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTOERWOOMMI.Page:10 �Book Review Reviewed by Kit Minor MisEducation: Women and Canadian Universities, Anne Innis Dagg and Patricia Thompson, OISE Press, 1988. MisEducation: Women and Canadian Universities is a much needed testimony of the plight, and struggles, as well as the cruel and horrendous treatment, of some of the most gifted scholars and students in Canada, who are women and particularly feminists. As one who has weathered years of academia as a student, and now five years as a professor, there is no doubt in my mind that this text is a powerful, and long overdue analysis of what does go on in the patriarchy of university institutions. Quite honestly, I could not put the book down; it validated a great deal for me, as to my own struggles as a student, and at Laurentian where I taught for four years, and was constantly battered by patriarchy, and misogyny. I am convinced this book will play a major role in collective action, by women academics, and students, in English speaking countries, to struggle against the patriarchy imposed upon us, in these institutions of higher learning. The objectives of the text are explicit, and well developed. The authors provide concrete research findings from a number of respected sources, to document the extent, and tragedy, of patriarchy and misogyny prevalent within Canadian Universities at all levels. They review the sciences and engineering citing numerous examples of inequality towards women. In biology where 50% of the students are women, women faculty comprise 8%. In engineering I was startled and saddened at the initiation rites still practiced in Canada's supposedly major universities, by the male students. Rites which are blatant examples of hatred towards women. The use of case studies adds power,. and undeniable truth to these testimonies, and this strength of delivery is used throughout the text. The text is well documented, and sound. In discussing the systems of patriarchy within schools of,Law the authors refer to the Sheila McIntyre case at Queen's University. McIntyre was hired as a Law professor in 1985. In her courses, she included women's concerns and encouraged women to participate in classroom discuss-4 ion, Her efforts were met with anger, lack of co-operation and disruptions by several men. This led to a heated confrontation and attempts to discredit the professor. As presented in both the analysis of Dagg and Thompson, and the CAUT Bulletin (Jan.1987), this whole scheme was based upon anger Council for $5000, it was turned down. The authors documented several university centres which in recent years have had to close due to lack of funding. They also document centres which have suffered harassment and were broken into and trashed, for example Carleton. Dagg and Thompson add some enlightening concerns over Child care and the delivery of this service, where, and when it is available. This service is one that can benefit all, both women and men. There are many women and men at university who participate in child towards the Feminist inclusion which care: faculty, staff and students. ThMcIntyre proposed, and grounded ere needs to be increased funding, more in fear and a loss of power by the male available spaces and flexible hours students involved. As a professor due to the irregularity of course times who does teach from a Feminist Perspand variation in the duration of courses. ective I find it astonishing that The authors chose to present the students who have been taught a pathorrors of sexism, sexual harassment riarchal perspective most, or all of and violence on campus through a numtheir lives would not welcome a new ber of short case studies. These approach, some new insights. Are these are frightening and powerful, and a not the halls of academia, or are women' s rude awakening to the truths of what concerns, thoughts, and writings to women must suffer to be within these be be dismissed as trivial, nonexistent. halls. Has it really changed that My present experience, having left much since Virginia Wolf, or is it Laurentian for a more welcoming and just more subtle; or, and this is more enthused group of academics in Social frightening, have we learned to just Work at Lakehead, is that I now find accept it? co-operation and excitement that a Feminist perspective is included as a teaching style in a core course. Mind you, some students battle the notion, or "put up with it" and these students are not exclusively men, nor by any means is the majority of male students included in this small group. This past year I have been told by numerous women and men that the Feminist perspective has had a major impact upon their lives, a good healthy impact towards awareness of self and others. However, as I read through MisEducation, I know that this acceptance and support are rare. In every area of academia, women are scapegoated and abused. The authors cite several examples from each discipline. Dagg and Thompson view three critical factors as progressive for women, both students and faculty, within university structures. These are the creation of a women's study program, a women's centre and provision of adequate, and flexible day care. They are clear that a women's study program must begin with a Feminint perspective and the hiring of full-time track, or tenured, Feminists within that program. It will do little good to create such a program, as has been done in some universities, where the professors are women, but not necessarily Feminists There seems to be at several universities this irrational fear that feminists will take over and seek a gull monopoly upon knowledge. The fact is that Feminists have studied women, and are the best to teach in that area of Further Dagg and Thompson exp erti4e. expose the lack of funding towards both university women's centres and Day Care. The University of Toronto received in 1919, a donation of $125,000 for wothen's sport and meeting facilities In 1986, this finally materialized. However despite the fine work done through this centre, when the members approached the Student Administration MisEducation: Women and Canadian Universities is not only an original testimony but a very brave, and honourable text. Academic women and students need to know that we are not alone; as well, the patriarchal forces which pervade our university systems must be held accountable for their abuse of women academics and students. There is no doubt in my mind that this testimony will result in much dialogue, and hopefully collective action amongst women. To quote Sasha McInnes "This book is a must for every professor, university administrator, and politician. Any woman who has had contact with a Canadian University will read her own untold story here." The text is powerful, as is. I believe also it will be meaningful, as well as personal, to most women academics and students. I congratulate the authors on their ability to put the personal into the political with such a charging, and dynamic force. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN e.11 �CIRCLING TO THE LEFT By: Josie Wallenius I am making notes sitting on a plane going to Dallas, Texas, because some things have happened in the last 24 hours which connect up with what I learned from the native writer and poet, Lee Maracle when she was in Thunder Bay a few weeks ago. Margaret Phillips had first met Lee at the feminist book fair in Montreal and had arranged for her to visit Thunder Bay on her way back to Vancouver, to talk to women here. Lee had' said in Montreal that she was going to spend her time with native women from now on, as it seemed as though women of colour in North America were wasting their time speaking to white women about racism. She said its a white institutionalised problem, and we must look to our own empowerment to change things, and above all, stop writing for, and about, native women. That means even Anne Cameron, who Lee has been dialoguing with for four years and who now agrees with Lee. On the first night Lee was here, we went with her to the native expressions night, where we were made welcome, and'heard her poetry reading, which was wonderful. She spoke a poem, to and about her husband, Dennis, who was in the audience with her two sons. In front of strangers she made herself vulnerable, and I was moved to tears. The next day Lee visited with native women, and spoke to two classes of native women in the afternoon, encouraging tlibm to write, and advising them about publishers. White women reading this may well ask why I am writing about Lee, if she is now only working with native women, so I will explain why I wanted to talk with her after I had read her book, I Am Woman. To overcome patriarchial capitalism and give birth to matriarchial socialism, we are going to need every morsal of advise, knowledge, guidance, and global communal empathy. I knew in my gut Lee knew more than I, I knew it after reading her book, so I wanted to learn more. For the next five weeks I put it all on a back burner, which was fueled by friends. "Can't white women be spiritual then?" "I wouldi use it Josie, if Lee said we shoul, not be writing about native women, we should not use their drum." "Di n't be silly, its just deerskin ani wood." My overt thoughts, "I need a drum, I love the sound of this co I bought it, and I have already usl it." My covert thoughts, "Why do feel the need to explain why I am using it each time I drum a story, why do I feel troubled if I tell al angry story with it, why am I worr' ing?" On top of all this, I had two very important questions for her from me. 1) Did she believe in a cosmic something?, and 2) What did she think of me using an Ojibwe drum for my story telling? The answer to my first question was an elaboration of her belief system described in her book, and affirmed my belief that something or other is on our side. The answer to the second question brings me to the reason I could not write about Lee 'till six weeks later, on the plane to Dallas. When I had asked Lee about using the Ojibwe drum which I had bought, her eyes told me something. For a moment she seemed to withdraw into herself, then she came back, and smiled, saying, "Well, if you know what you are doing, but if you don't I had felt before meeting Lee that native people have a confidence in making decisions that white people sometimes lack because native people believe in things coming full circle, so I felt that Lee was saying it wasn't her burden to give me advice, it was mine, and nobody can help you make sixth sense decisions. So six weeks later I am with good friends in Minneapolis the nig before going to Dallas. I have my drum, cymbals, bells, and tambourin in my case. Sherry, my native frie told me with a laugh that native pE ople are now calling white people w try to copy them, "The Wannaby Trib SuSu, my wicca friend who is a sham drummer, heard my story about tracing my own Gaelic roots, and whiske me off to a music shop the next mor ing and lent me the money to buy a drum made of strong plastic and cow hide. I live in plastic land, and my Grandmother came from Hereford. I put ribbons hanging from it, whic look like Maypole ribbons. Well they do to me. The Ojibwe drum. I have just met an elder white woman, who is ex perimenting with sounds and resonance, and she is a real whitehaired elder, and wiser than me. She will use it softly, make no mistakes. Meanwhile, Dallas, here I come good and angry, and at ease. Thanks Lee you cautioned me as a friend. We are all moving in circles, sparking and touching each other, but always in circles, and to the left. FEMINIST BOOK FAIR (continued) In all there were 52 workshops/ panels stimulated by the wisdom and vision of hundreds of women writers. Writers that we know and love - Dorothy Livesay, Audre Lorde, Marie-Claire Blais, Olga Broumas, Anne Cameron, Dale Spender, Mary Daly, Frances Duncan, Judy Grahn, Makeda Silvera, Betsy Warland, Donna Smyth. And writers, unknown to many of us, whose words it is essential we hear: Merle Hodge, Lee Maracle, Alicia Portnoy, Daysi Zamora, Janet Campbell Hale, Kumari Jayawardina, Ellen Kuzwayo, Sheila Jeffries, Gloria Joseph, Miriam Tlali, Nell Mc Cafferty. (This list is by no means inclusive ... there are hundreds more women writers we must hear/read.) It was the workshops that demonstrated that this was a feminist fair. A time to renew our feminist analysis. A time to challenge ourselves to confront and address our racism, our classim. A time to feel. A time to dream. A time to remember. The Fair held many memorable moments for me. The thrill of conversing with Dorothy Livesay; the awe of meeting Ellen Kuzwayo; the challenge of hearing Audre Lorde; the joy of renewing friendships with Women Writers colleagues - stimulating my renewed urgency to write. But the highlight of the Fair was the Native poetry reading, most particularly Alanis Obasiwin's BUSH LADY. This came at the end of the day and week. I went to the reading physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. I left the reading - restored. Alanis' BUSH LADY poster hangs for my easy view in the Bookstore. It stimulates my memory and gives me energy and hope. (The quotations in this article are taken from the official program of the 3rd International Book Fair) PDF compression, OCR,page web12optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor WORTHE71 NOW! �Free Trade (continued) Cohen focusses on women's job losses in the service sector. After predicting that Canadians may lose control over health care and child care services, she concludes: Free trade in services will cause job loss and downward pressures on wages and working conditions in many areas which have traditionally been growth areas for women's employment: data processing, transportation, and public service occupations. (p. 79) In both manufacturing and services, rather than concluding that women will lose jobs, isn't the more important conclusion the fact that we, as Canadians, will no longer be able to decide the future direction of our social programs, and that we are giving control of our food supply to a foreign power? This focus simply on job loss prevents an examination of the larger question of national sovereignty. It is similar to some labour organiza tions' contention that Canadian workers will oppose free trade only if it can be shown that it will hit them in the pocketbook. In response to a question from a panel member at the Ontario government hearings into free trade in Thunder Bay in November 1987, about whether workers in the lunchroom expressed concern about culture and sovereignty, a local labour spokesman rctplied: "Canadian workers don't care about culture or sovereignty, they only care about jobs.' Is it this same attitude that has given rise to the "women and free trade" approach, that women will only act out of self interest? self interest? Another result of limiting the debate to free trade and women is that many people are excluded from learning about the issue. This was demonstrated at a lecture given by Maude Barlow of the Pro Canada Network at Lakehead University on March 7, 1988. Her lecture was titled "Women and Free Trade' but its contents were not limited to that subject. She covered a history of the recent free trade initiative, the forces pushing for free trade, Canadian demands for secure access and a binding dispute settling mechanism that were never met, and an overview of the actual terms of the agreement. Only peripherally did she cover how women might be adversely affected. It was a speech that should have been heard by a large audience. The common response of most people in Thunder Bay, as it is across Canada, when it comes to free trade is that they do not know enough about it. This is no accident. Again, it has been the government's policy to keep Canadians in the dark. The leaked Toronto Star document stated: It is likely that the higher the profile the issue attains, the lower the degree of public approval will be.... The strategy should rely less on educating the general public than on getting across the message that the trade initiative is a good idea. In other words, a selling job. In the face of deliberate government secrecy and lies about the contents of the free trade deal, it is the wrong time for the opposition to be limiting its audience by aidressing the concerns of particular =roups. Less than twenty people attended the Barlow lecture; only one man was in attendance. How many people, both men and women, didn't attend because the lecture was titled "Women and Free Trade"? Another group, Women Against Free Trade, was recently formed in Toronto, initiated by the Ontario Federal of Labour's (OFL) and. NDP Women's Committees. In an interview in Thunder Bay in March, Carol Anne Sceviour of the OFL explained the reasons for setting up a group to address women and free trade issues. Women are disproportionately affected by the deal, she said. Women are the ones who use social services the most and will be most affected by changes to them. Women are better at grass roots organizing. And, finally, many women are "sick and tired of going up against the boys" in those organizations where they are fighting free trade together. But do these arguments not simply further isolate women from mainstream politics and encourage our limited involvement in questions that affect the country? Should we not be striving for equal participation with men on this issue that affects us all as citizens, rather than retreating to groups where we limit our questioning of the effect this deal will have on us as woman? The group's pamphlet, "Women Against Free Trade Manifesto," like Maude Barlow's lecture, gives an analysis of free trade that is not restricted to "women's issues." This begs the question: Why another group, saying similar things as other groups, formed by people who are already involved in anti free-trade groups (the OFL Free Trade Committee, the Ontario Coalition Against Free Trade, the Council of Canadians, the Pro Canada Network) that involves a further expenditure of energy and money? Their manifesto states: Our great-grandthothers set the example. Told they didn't understand politics, they were denied the vote. They organized, apparently against all odds, and they won 'personhoOd' and the vote. We have won the right to participate equally in the political life of Canada, and this is the time to exercise that right, when we're facing the most important issue we've ever faced as a nation. The time for women to organize separately is when it's time to fight for those issues that are truly "women's" issues, such as reproductive rights, not on issues affecting the future political and economic direction of the country. .. the right to participate equally. The National. Actioa Committee has published a poster entitled "Women are Against Free Trade" outlining job loss, lower wages and poorer working conditions and poorer access to social programs as ways women will be affected by free trade, and a pamphlet "Free Trade: A Bad Deal for Women." They qualify their opposition to free trade under the heading "Free trade is not just a women's issue": Free trade dramatizes the very different interests dividing ordinary people from the rich and powerful.... Employers with the most to gain are large international corporations. Employers with the most to Zose are producers who can expect increased outside competition in the Canadian market. In both cases workers, ordinary men and women, lose. One important issue for people in Canada is unemployment. Free trade won't solve that or oter social and economic problems that we face as a country. NAC limits its examination of the impact of free trade to job loss, never naming the problem of Canadians giving up the right to control their economic and political future. And, further, when it comes to "What Women Can Do" NAC advocates that women "organize a women's coalition against free trade in your area" (emphasis mine). Living in an area in Ontario where there is next to nothing in the way of organized opposition to free trade, and where most people in the area know little about the deal, advocating a "women's" coalition against free trade is misguided, to say the least. It is interesting to note how the proponents of free trade address the issue of women and free trade. 'Katie Macmillan is an economist who wrote one of three papers on free trade commissioned by the Advisory Council on the Status of Women and who has worked with the Economic Council of Canada, the Canada West Foundation and the C.D. Howe Institute. In an essay in the pro-free trade collection, Free Trade: The Real Story '(Gage, 1988), she writes that free trade promises women a rosy future: Free trade offers Canadian women the potential to improve their economic standing, both relatively and absolutely.... While some job.losses would occur, women have demonstrated capac a to adjust to, and even profit from, changes in the workplace. Labor mobility and upgrading programs can help women to adjust to the better opportunities that free trade will generate. Women can be winners from free trade by using the changes that it brings to permanently improve their economic status. (p. 125) It is this appeal to self interest that forms the basis of the govern-lent's strategy to sell free trade. Those opposed to it need not buy into this strategy, but should widen their examination of the deal to how it will affect the country as a whole,. To this end, Citizens Concerned About Free Trade provides an example of a successful strategy to fight PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �free trade. The organization, formed in 1985, is non-partisan with no ties to any political party or organization. It is supported financially by donations from members and the public. Within the context of Canadian sovereignty and by examining Canada's history as a nation trying to maintain independence in the face of constant pressure to develop closer economic and political ties with the U.S., the group has been educating people in Saskatchewan and across the country about the implications of free trade. Beginning with a small meeting in Saskatoon in 1985, CCAFT has grown to the point where it draws large crowds throughout Saskatchewan. Last December 1500 people attended a debate between the group's spokesman, David Orchard, a grain farmer, and the provincial trade minister, Bob Andrew. It was the largest meeting on free trade anywhere west of Toronto Through its commitment to public education, the organization has built a strong following in Saskatchewan and now has brances in all Western provinces. The leadership Of the group is shared by women and men, who have worked tirelessly to make sure that Canadian people have a say in whether they want economic and political union with the United States. A recent membership leaflet from the group encourages individuals to do what they can to end this deal: We can and must take an active role in putting an end to the most undemocratic phase in Canada's history, during which our country has been systematically weakened by the Meech Lake accord and fundamentally changed into a mere colony of. the U.S.A. through the free trade deal. As individuals we can do the following *inform ourselves fully about the_ meaning of this treaty for Canada's survival as a nation. *speak publicly against free trade whenever we have a chance, such as in governmental 'information' meetings on free trade, in political meetings of all sorts, in meetings by groups and organizations we belong to. *call in on open Zine radio programmes, locally and nationally. We must speak from our hearts and guts, because 'free trade' is not just a matter of Yacts', but is a question of whether we want to have a country or not. The openings for speaking out in our society are few, and we should seize each one that comes along. Every voice counts. *keep up the pressure on the federal and provincial opposition parties to do more to oppose free trade than they have done up to now. They must not only make good speeches, but must educate and mobilize Canadians against free trade.... We need to also realize that if there is no election before Congratulations To I DIVERSITY The Lesbian Rag From NWJ the agreement comes into effect, there is no guarantee that the opposition party in power would be able (or even willing) to cancel the treaty after the 1989 election. ALL OUR ENERGIES MUST GO INTO FORCING AN ELECTION BEFORE THIS TREATY COMES INTO EFFECT. The group warns: The free trade treaty comes into full effect on Jan. 1, 1989, and it is the government's plan to have it fully operational before the next election. MUlroney's own utterances that he will call an election, mean nothing more than that he wiZZ call it sometime in 1989! We must not allow ourselves to be lulled into thinking that this government will VOLUNTARILY' call an election in 1988. Instead, We must ceaselessly pressure that the election take place this year and we must use aZZ the means at our disposal to make sure that some semblance of-democracy will be restored in Canada! In conclusion, I would encourage individual women who have not considered the implications of the free trade deal to educate themselves about the meaning of the treaty. As well as reading the text of the agreement, a good place to start is with McLelland & Stewart's 1987 book, If You Love This Country. For those women who are in leadership positions in the political arena, I would encourage you to think serious': about your strategy in opposing free trade and caution against narrowing your organizing efforts to so-called "women's" issues only. In this case, such a focus does a disservice to Canadian women-who are full citizens of Canada who deserve to be treated as such, and to men in this country who will be just as affected by job loss, changes in working conditions and poorer access to social programs. Citizens Concerned About Free Trade has a wide range of information on free trade from audio tapes to video tapes to leaflets. Membership and information can be obtained by writing to CCAFT, P.O. Box 8052, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan SY' ',77. Don't Forget to Renew I your Subscription 1 1 1 I The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bi (ACT-B) is launching another voluntet recruitment drive. Volunteers are needed to staff the ACT-B AIDS Information phoneline ACT-B is particularly interested in finding volunteers who can give time during regular business hours. Volunteers will receive training which will include information about AIDS, its transmission and treatment. as well as on social issues related to AIDS such as homophobia, fear of sexuality and discrimination toward persons with AIDS. Opportunities for service in other ACT-B projects and programs will be outlined. For more information call 345-1516. 40.......,.....,..m,._,.. oefte SEE- RIGHT a ivx 8A" ° co4ek -----------t (.4.1044i This lc --"e6741- 5 rm. PI A PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor ',NORTHERN WOMAN paye.14 �WHAT'S NEW in the BOOKSTORE More than 100 new titles have been acquired by the Bookstore in the past few months. Here are a few WOMEN CONDIDOTES of them. CHARTING THE JOURNEY: Writing by Black and Third World Women, Sheba WOMEN'S FICTION FROM LATIN AMERICA, edited by Evelyn Picon Garfield, Wayne State University Press THIRD WORLD, SECOND SEX 2, compiled by Miranda Davies, ZED Press YOU CAN'T DROWN THE FIRE: Latin American Women Writing in Exile, edited by Alicia Partnoy, Cleis FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES: Philosophical Essays on Methodaricr:MuraIs, edited by Lorraine Codo, Sheila Mullett, Christine Overall, U of T Press EVERYDAY WORLD AS PROBLEMATIC: A Feminist Sociology, by Dorothy E. Smith, University of Toronto Press REFLECTING MEN AT TWICE THEIR NATURAL SIZE: Why Women Work at Making Men Feel Good, by Sally Cline & Dale Spender, Collins COMPETITION: A Feminist Taboo? edited by Valerie Miner and Helen E. Longino, The Feminist Press WORK IN PROGRESS, Building Feminist Culture, edited by Rhea Tregebov, Women's Press THE NEW DAY RECALLED: Lives of Girls and Women in English Canada 1919-1939, by Veronica Strong-Boag, Penguin I NEVER CALLED IT RAPE: The Ms. Report on Recognizing, Fighting and Surviving Date and Acquaintance Rape, by Robin Warshaw, THE COURAGE TO HEAL: A Guide for SurvivoT4s of Child Sexual Abuse, by Ellen Bass & Laura Davis, Harper & Row THE PERFECT MACHINE: TV in the Nuclear Age, by Joyce Nelson, Between the Lines MAKING IT: A'Woman's Guide to Sex in the Age of AIDS, by Cindy Patton & Janis Kelly, Firebrand 'HON TO WIN' All the information you need to successfully run for Municipal Council or Board of Education is contained in this practical, locally produced handbook. fluailable from: FIERCE ATTACHMENTS: A Memoir, by Vivian Gornick, Simon & Schuster THE BOX CLOSET, by Mary Meigs, Talon Books AND A VOICE TO SING WITH, by Joan Baez, New American Library A BURST OF LIGHT essays by Audre Lorde, Firebrand WIFE, bu Bharati Mukherjee, Penguin GONE TO SOLDIERS, by Marge Piercy, Fawcett SOMETHING SHADY by Sarah Dreher, Pandora BITTER MEDICINE, by Sara Paretsky, Ballantine The Bookstore would like to remind regional readers that we do have a mail order service. We no_longer publish a catalogue as it becomes outdated too quickly. Instead we regularly put out book lists by category. Current lists include Health, Violence Issues, A.C.O.A., and International. These lists may be obtained by writing us at _184 Camelot Street, Thunder Bay, P7A 4A9. Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council 905 Tungsten Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 5Z3 Telepnne 18071 623-7556 Cost: $5.00 plus $2.50 for postage Citizens Concerned About Free Trade now has a Thunder Bay office. For information call 623-1120 or 344-6736. to ow').-solA146evomPgamtzoslowz-am*00 ,0: ,,t0A,,Nt.z,A3-k--totiott,w---)A.wowvonto 044,;;Npt A GUIDE TO FIGHTING WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT/ASSAULT has been published by Bonnie Robichaud. This is a stepby-step guide on fighting a sexual harassment complaint, how to recognize the barriers to proceeding with a complaint and how to overcome those barriers. Fighting and winning a complaint of sexual harassment is still far from easy and this booklet is intended to give women the tools to to improve the odds. The GUIDE is available from the Northern Woman's Bookstore, or by sending $2.95 per copy plus $1.00 postage and handling costs to Bonnie Robichaud, Box 149, Osgoode, Ontario, KOA 2W0. L73 .T.,141ca- NoRM 5ATISS/Es hics Le-fr-1.2Ala PARisiiiONEIts By HIRING A taotiA4 1A/STEA0 OF 4 fr/colosexuAi... 01>t<eM v704 ,_rgyy, 0 tt'O 7,,zgaw;_yo: r<gsv W.% t-OA PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page' 15 �ARTISTS Share your innovative and original expressions with al: of us --- same deal: hi -tech YES INDEED WE NEED TO KNOW YOU'RE OUT THRRE We haven't heard from some of you in a while. Many of our subscriptions have expired. Have you moved and we aren't reaching you? Do we no longer meet your needs? Complain and keep subscribing. If you already have a subscription - introduce the NORTHERN WOMAN to a friend. -WORDS WANTED REWARD For any unsolicited copy - original articles, stories - that we use you will be given a free one year subscription for yourself or a friend. HERE'S MY SUB: Our subscripticn lists are now on computer. We can be more accurate and up to date with our mailings. Please check your label to see if your address and expiration date is correct. THANKS. WE'VE MOPED Please send all articles, graphics and subscription requests to: NORTHERN P.O. THUNDER P7C WOMAN JOURNAL BOX 144 BAY, ONTARIO 4V5 The NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL i4 a vehicle to encourage a kminiist awaiteneim oi the 6ituation o6 women in ou/L 5oeiety and to pnovide an atte/Lnative to the patAiLotchaZ media. We -Speak to women bighting againt Aaciism, homophobia and heteuzexi4m. StAiving to be a communication tink between women in Notthweste/tn Ontario in addition to aAticte6 oA gtobat and nationat conca,tn. Lubso iseek mate/tiat o6 pa/tticutan itetevance to Notthweistetn Ontaitio women. ALE mate/Liat etected son inctuzion wite be chosen by the conen6u/s of the catective. AIJ miginat hubmiz4sion4 ate reviewed. It iz 04e/tab2e that the authors do any content editing kequi/Led, but the cottective Name xi,et edit with the authon' peAmiz6ion. Pnoduc -Lng a nempapeft by votunteen tabours and without f c.mding i4 an en04MOWS tas!z. Femini6t newoaputis thAoughout Canada arse conztantey 4t/Euggting to 6UhViVe. The NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL ha's 6u/Lvived Zonge/t than Address many and with your 5uppott we wiZt continue to grow. Throe ate many ways that you can azisit the JOUR- Individual $5 Institutional $10 NAL. 0/Liginue a/tticeez, rev iews, paphic6 and titena/Ly contnibution6 a/te atway's we- ecomed. News item6 about diztAict women' concenn6 and 6e/tvice6, not othotwize widety pubticized cute impontant. Locating dbstAibutton point/5 tH A.egiOnat COMMUnitte6, and encouAaging 6ubiscitiption puitcha6a would /Leatty hap. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Mail Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL P.O. BOX 144 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7C 4V5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Return Postage Guaranteed Collectively produced CAROLYN GREENWOOD-MARY-ANN KLEYNENDORST p2 OUR VOICE/YOUR VOICE/WOMEN'S CHOIR. P3 FREE TRADE p4 FEMINIST BOOK FAIR ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE P65 WOMYN'S MUSIC A UEW NOTES p8 P('ETRY p10 SET BACK FOR DAY CARE/ DECADE COUNCIL NEWS Pll BOOK REVIEW p12 CIRCLING TO THE LEFT JONI MACE-KIT MINOR-LORETTA PAVAN- MARGARET PHILLIPS-ROSE PITTIS-CYNTHIA STOLZ : Northern Viroman Journal P.O. BOX 144 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7C 4V5 (FOUR ISSUES) $50 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 3 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 3 (September 1988) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Women’s choir Thunder Bay Women against free trade Feminist book fair Resources for northern women Family violence prevention month Federal childcare initiatives Womyn’s music festival Poetry Daycare access Daycare legislation Women in economic development & decision making Book review of MisEducation: Women and Canadian Universities by Anne Innis Dagg & Patricia Thompson Native women Women & race Comics Call for submissions Authors/Contributors: Peggy Smith Margaret Phillips Ontario Women’s Directorate Jane Saunders Keri Shephardson Nan Peacock Susan Collins Gert Beadle Kit Minor Josie Wallenius Carolyn Greenwood Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Joni Mace Loretta Pavan Rose Pittis Cynthia Stolz Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2804/1988_Vol_11_No_4.pdf 2cf6cb855355c5e9f64f847954243e88 PDF Text Text Volume 11 Thunder Bay, Ontario ON No.4 ) MAR-NA NANC\II Oro Glob 0, 01-1 1`1A9.\/ K ER I JE,.)Nv 9694V $1.50 AND FIND Northern Woman Journal December 1988, ON PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �As we emerge from the despair evoked by the federal election result it is important to understand that the election success of the Conservatives will have consequences immeasurably beyond just the disasterous effects of the free trade agreement. It is hard to think beyond the-trade deal implications. When the sovereignty, the identity, of the country that you love is given away - to appease the greed of the business elite - you may wonder what else matters. But the Americanization of Canada will be subtle, gradual - - and we may be lulled by the misinformation that will continue. If we love this Auntry it is incumbent upon us to support the grass roots movement against the trade deal and foster awareness of the true implications of the Mulroney-Reagan deal. (It will be a citizen movement, not political parties, that we must depend on.) We must, however, also mature our awareness and analysis of the full Conservative agenda - social policy, tax reform, trade - and determine what is in store for us in the next four years. Behind the mask of free trade lies a neo-conservative agenda (which would not on its own be risked) that will devastate the vulnerable in our society, will erode the modest gains that women have made, and will set back the cause of social justice and equality for a decade. ' It is a frightening picture. We can anticipate an intense and sustained backlash against women. Our energies will be spent protecting what little we have, and mitigating the hurt that will be inflicted on the most vulnerable of us. What lies ahead SOCIAL PROGRAMS The threat to social programs was a significant focus of the election campaign. Unfortunately, the opposition politicians failed to make clear to many voters the true ramifications of the trade deal in respect to social policy. The Conservatives and their business allies spent millions of dollars reassuring us that medicare, old age security, and other social programs are unaffected by the trade deal. It is instructive to note that immediately after the election this same business lobby are calling on Finance Minister Wilson to decrease the deficit by cutting social programs. Both the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council on National Issues advocate decreased social spending, while business reporter Peter Cook (Globe & Mail Nov. 23) states the government must "... r edUc e) willing to make unpopular cuts in programs that subsidize middle class Canadians." (emphasis added) There is no doubt that universal social programs are at risk. Not from the trade deal itself, perhaps, but from the mentality that says the market must prevail (and the people be damned). The Conservative ideology does not support the concept of universality. Universal social programs have not been implemented by a Conservative government, they were legislated by Liberal governments under pressure from the CCF/NDP. Medicare and pensions will not disappear overnight. Rather, they will be chipped away little by little. The business lobby has always opposed universality, has opposed any improvement of social benefits. The big business community (and their American owners/ counterparts) are the dominant influence on our present government, and will not be satisfied until social programs have been eroded beyor cognition. It is not as though our sc system was ideal. Many exising grams are inadequate. Other uni programs (eg dental care) are solute necessity. Remember the promise to implement pensions f homemakers? It seems to have ted. strugglE x-er..4.1,41,041a.t"4.4.4141, hope of improving social progrE comes a mere fantasy. PRIVATIZATION The flip side of the free coin is privatization. Privati2 is the transfer of ownership, c regulation, financing or decisi making from the government sect private hands. Privatization cz several different forms includi selling of crown corporations ernment agencies to the privatE tor; contracting out through bi agreements with employees beinE ced by contracted out work; de/ tion and removal of legal const franchising and commercial entE use of volunteers; and user feE mentation. continued or I swear it to you I swear it on my common woman's head The common woman is as common as a common loaf of bread and will rise) - PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 �The sotistice is the outermost limit of the sun's rays upon universe. And, in these winter months it provides us Luny nights and chilling air. The spirits bless us with this very special tytne to gather fuel and Eight; And criticaay to give warmth to others, the deep warmth of women in friendship. This is not a dark, mysterious tyrne; ut rather it is a baLance. A tytne of neither lii3ht nor dark, but a blending twitight, Kolding the powerojaLL that has been and can be. U is naturels demand that we recognize her batance; And that we bLend into the twilight. A simple thought: to take tyme to cleanse; to renew; and to thank the spirits and Goddesses who guide us. And perhaps, just maybe, to thank the special, friends who keep us in care. May Mother Earth and The Spirits "Mess us tvery One" And Likewise. (for 114) km i, 1 0 Tbe from Porthrrn Doman Iournat page. 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN �Josie Wallenius Josie Wallenius has developed a repertoire of "stories" that she performs in artist-run centres and community gathering places. These stories are acoustically punctuated as she strikes on a six-foot crosscut bush saw with a piece of rusted iron...or a rock...or a wooden spoon. Her sound stories talk of racism, sexism, poverty, struggle and Peace. They relate to everyday life and speak to and for the people who have trouble surviving each day -- the ones who will make the change. She came to Thunder Bay from London, England in 1978...later giwing up her full-time job as a registered nurse to become a full-time unpaid peace worker. Josie is a grassroots activist in her own community, and in: Acoustic Storyteller 1985: Worked with the Greenham Women investigating microwave radiation of Peace Women 1984: Participated in the ten-day action at the Greenham Common Peace Camp in England that coincided with NATO's 'Operation Lionheart" An article written by Josie for W.I.L. P.F. (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom) in 1987 has now been translated into Italian, Danish, and German. December 1988: Frightened is it You Are Performed at Medicine Hat, Alberta, Peace and Justice Centre November 1988: Performed at Macalester University, St. Paul, Minnesota, Peace action Coalition Conference. October 1988: Performed'at Project Ploughshares Peace group, Salem, Ontario. August:-1988: Performed at the International Women's Peace Conference, Dallas, Texas June 1988: Performed at the Canadian Labour Congess School, Lakehead University. May 1988: Performed at the Women's Interfaith Network Spirituality Conference, Kitchener -Waterloo Opening performance at Project Ploughshares National Conference, Toronto Ontario Mother's Day Peace Demonstration, Wisconsin, Guest performance, "Speaking Out" ASpace/MAYWORKS, Toronto, Ontario Opening performance, "Souvinir from the Northern_Front, The Funnel, A-Space/MAYWORKS, Toronto, Ontario February 1988: Performance with Nipigon Nylons, Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay, Ontario 1987: Canadian delegate to the International Women's Conference, Moscow, USSR Canadian Delegate to the Libyan Peace Conference, Libya 1986: Worked at support camp at Big Mountain, Arizona during the Navaho Hopi struggle against re-location Worked with the Canadian Electrical Brigade in Nicaragua by Josie Wallenius Frightened is it you are with a bit of trouble with the police Frightened is it I am of Cruise Missiles Frightened is it you are of hurting someone's feelings Frightened is it I am of talking and saying nothing Frightened is it you are to say we are racist Frightened is it I am that Africa will no longer forgive us Frightened is it you are of communism Frightened is it I am that El Salvador will no longer forgive us Frightened is it you are of losing friends Frightened is it I am of burning children Frightened is it you are of a bit of trouble with the police Frightened is it I am of Cruise Missiles empowerment from marginalisation Josie Wallenius October 1988 Having experienced over the last year the power of storytelling and writing as a means of empowerment, both for myself and for other women, I will describe how I first experienced empowerment BECAUSE I was marginalized. I was, and still am, a global woman working for Peace. Three years ago I was asked to go with a male activist to a local meeting of citizens in our community to explain our position. I was a better speaker, and had more knowledge of the issues than the man. Imagine my surprise (I was very innocent) when I found out that there was only time for one of us to speak, and the man was chosen. I should not have been surprised or upset, because, of course, in a mixed audience especially, a man always has more credibility. The next week I spoke to a mixed group, and explained this phenomenon before I started. I asked the men to forget I was a woman, to see if they heard me more by forgetting this. This introduction worked. It turned out to be the most productive part of the debate afterwards. The tactic worked. I'm not interested in things that don't work anymore. I have a favorite picture ove . my desk-an old print by a Dutch ma, ter. It's a picture of two women s: tting at a table, leaning towards ch other, ENGROSSED in their talki] What they are talking about who kn4 ws. Perhaps their husbands or love an unwanted pregnancy, making ends meet to feed the children, what ca: go is coming in at Rotterdam, who ruling Holland. Who knows. All I ki ow they look a lot happier than woi en watching television. This is what I am doing with I storytelling and writing. Proving at our stories are more riveting tl an the soaps, our lives more import ant to the world than the lives of those that rule us, and our experi( nces as women the most likely to sz ve this earth from destruction, as long as we start telling them. I will do performances, but tt workshops will be participatory one empowering to the women who attend. The instruments (the drum, cymbals, tambourine, dulcimer, etc.) are the re for the people to use as they tell to the group, a story of their 1 : own. page 4web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN OCR, PDF compression, �UPCOMING EVENTS IMMIGRANT WOMEN'S CONFERENCE COUNTDOWN TO IMPLEMENrATION Conference employers, Ontario Women's Directorate for employees "MAKING CHANGES" and On December 25th & 26th, 1988 bargaining agents to learn more about the "had to" of pay equity the first Immigrant Women's Conference was held at Ramada Inn implementation. Valhalla Inn, Thunder Bay, Ontario February 9, 1989 Registration forms at Northern Hotel. Office BULLETIN opportunity of Ontario Women's Directorate THE GEORGE BROWN ASSAULTED WOMEN'S FROM WOMEN'S PLACE, KENORA AND CHILDREN'S ADVOCATE/COUNSELLOR PROGRAM AND REAL EYES: THE VISION RAPE CRISIS CENERE FUNDING CRISIS PRESENT Workshops with Sandra Butler Historically the SolicitorJanuary 17-23, 1989 General's office of Ontario has Tbronto, Ontario funded the operational costs of Rape Crisis Centres (R.C.C.'s). Although Healing the Healers - Jan. 17-18 they fund each centre differently, they will pay for rent, telephone Personal Disarmament - Jan. 19-20 lines, pagers and transportation. However they have refused to fund Wbmen, salaries or honoraria for RCC Sexual Terrorism and the State - Jan. 21 volunteers. In April 1988, the Ontario Search for the Mothers - The Coalition of RCC met with Our the Journey Home - Jan. 22-23 present Solicitor-General, Joan The theme of the conference was about the most important problems of immigrant women:- learning English and training and education programs to prepare women for entry into the workforce. The first workshop of the conference was the presentation and discussion of immigrant women's problems. At this time, many of the immigrant women presented their speeches prepared by themselves. They analysed causes and possible solutions. After this two interesting panels took place, one about E.S.L. programs. It was very important because in it was discussion about the possible deficiencies and problems of these programs. The other panel, about training and education programs for Smith requesting funds for staffing more information call costs, since many RCC's wereFor in (416) 654-2206 crisis operating without secure immigrants was the most important, because immigrant women questioned the policies of Canada Employment and Immigration regarding training staffing and with exhausted volunteers. Joan Smith established and FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION an Ad Hoc committee to meet with the MONTH - ACTIVITIES coalition and in June 1988 the coalition submitted a proposal for 5 Several activities produced by year funding for RCC's. The meetings groups in Northern. Ontario who also resulted in emergency funding received funding from the for several shelters (including Directorate took place: Women's Place - Kenora) to cover Public Forums (Beendigen, staffing costs. Family Resource Centre, After several extensions,Northshore it Sioux son -North Women in Crisis)has been announced by the SolicitorComite Contre la Violence Faitr, General's office that emergency aux femmes presented the play "Marc funding will continue until March et Julie" followed by a discussion 1989, and that they will not let any period. more centres close until year end, education the development of that society. The conference also gave great moments that the participants enjoyed. The...program...-includeal--cultural activity that presented folklore music and dance of Central America. Childcare was provided for all who needed this participants group produced a respond to the funding proposal Assault/Abuse this brochure which has been distributed year hospital emergency departments If you are in support to of and adequate funding for RCC's pleaseclinics in Thunder Bay. service. \*, to your local MPP and Warren's Place, Box 687, Kenora, Ontario P9N 3X6. for improvement of their situation so that they can integrate into Canadian society and contribute to The although they will not be able to Interagency Response to Wife send a letter to: The SolicitorGeneral the Honourable Joan Smith, Grosvenor St., 10th 25 Floor, Toronto, Ontario M7A 1Y6 with copies programs immigrants and they discussed their reasons for change. Then the women worked in small groups to make recourendations for After the November conference immigrant women will continue to work together to improve the situation of all immigrant women of Thunder Bay. If you are an immigrant woman and want to be involved call Maria Albizurez at 345-6084 for more information. Maria Isabel de Albizurez CONGRATULATIONS 901 Decade Council New Executive OF: Co-Chairpersons Gloria Harris Brenda Cryderman Secretary Roseann Perron Treasurer Jan Owen 10 CA 0 .1f..°'.1*.°' 000 40° 0116 (31. NOTICE This page is sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The material contained on it may be photocopied and distributed without y of Northern Women's ions will be ready for tion by the end of Thanks to those groups permission, but with credit to the original source or the Ontario the time to answer our naire. You will be Women's Directorate. your complimentary copy you know of anyone who interested in receiving a se call 345-6084 collect. This month's graphic courtesy of 2$T- :0 at' lazIT :Or 10 010:0 :Or Cbncetta PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 �Update itro.44a4arworogovairoirowsrewee Arizona Gay Rodeo Association News January 13,14, & 15, Release: 1989 are the dates for the 4th annual Arizona Rodeo. The Arizona and the New Mexico Gay Rodeo Assocs. are woeking together to produce the ROAD RUNNER REGIONAL RODEO. This year the name is new and the rodeo arena is newly enlarged just for A.G.R.A. Visit and stay awhile: Make plans now to be in Phoenix this January for the fun of your life. Call or write: Rodeo Hotline. P.O. Box 16363, Phx., 85011, (602)938-3932. Az. PV4z4oJzpke044:04.0443+04,01=0(404-g40404:0 LESBIAN WRITERS! Women's Press is looking for manuscripts for a second anthology of writing by Lesbians about Lesbian experience. They welcome fiction, non-fiction, poetry. experimental work, erotica etc. Deadline is mid-January 1989. Contact Women's Press, Lesbian Manuscript Group, 229 College St., Toronto M5T 1R4 The National Association of Women and the taw (NAWL) has just come out with a new Publications List describing their excellent research papers and briefs in areas of feminist legal concern such ,aa abortion rights, affirmative action, reproductive technology, child care, prostitution, divorce, child custody, pensions, pornography, sexual aggression against women and children, and unemployment insurance. Most recent publications are on the Constitutional Accord, survivor's benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, and benefits for part-time workers. The NAWL Publications List is available through the NAWL National Office at #400 - 1 Nicholas St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7, (613) 238-1544. t4c14,04e.oct.4o.treovsies4.044:>44:44:**A4:"-° A GUIDE TO FIGHTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE by Bonnie Robichaud is part of a major public education initiative by the Ontario Women's Directorate. Through her own successful case against the Department of National Defence, Robichaud has become a symbol to all who oppose discrimination in the workplace. Of benefit to victims and advocates, this informative booklet is available for $3.95 (postage included) from the Bonnie Robichaud Defence Committee, P.O. Box 149. Osgoode, Ontario, KOA 2W0; (613) Do contact the Bonnie 826-2150. Robichaud Defence Committee if you would like to receive their Newsletter or would like to make a donation to this precedent setting case. c:r4r3+434041:00.04.4,+oar4,40-Iteec*obecy4.040 New Video CREATING LESBIAN MEANING Excerpts: anglophone lesbians at The III International Feminist Book Fair. This video is available in a global four-hour version or a complete version of each specific theme: memory, power, feminist and lesbian political strategies. Among the women featured are Anne Cameron, Sheila Jeffreys, Sonia For more Johnson and Mary Daly. information contact Rgseau VideElle, 4013 des Erables, Montrgal, Qug., H2K 3V7. The Sports illustrated ` Swimsuit Issue may be changed to a "Women and Sport" issue if the members of Athletes for Equality have their The organization is working way. to obtain fair and equitable coverage for women in sports, according to President Beverly Smith. "We are concerned that there are many gifted and dedicated female athletes who are not getting the coverage they deserve", states Smith. "We are also concerned with the presentation of female athletes as sex objects, as we feel that this trivializes their accomplishments, and leads to many misconceptions about women in sports." These include the myths that women do not take athletics seriously, and that women are more concerned about their appearance than about their abilities, Athletes for Equexplained Smith. ality, which was founded by a group of female athletes at the University of Massachusetts, welcomes others with similar concerns. Athletes for Equality works as a clearinghouse for sexist sports articles. These are distributed to members, who are encouraged to write to the publishers and/or advertisers, One of Athletes for Equality's main targets is the magazine Sports Illustrated. From January to April 1987, this magazine allocated only 5% of its total sports coverage to In addition, for professwomen. ional tennis, collegiate basketball, track and field, swimming, golf, horse racing, and skating-sports with widespread female participation, only 13% of the magazine's coverage dealt with women. In addition, ex- plained Smith, when Sports Illustrated does publish a story on a f( male athlete, they often do so ofi ensively, either blatantly emphasizing her sex appeal, or trivializing her commitment to her sport. An obvious focus is the Swim: In 1987 it features 42 pz Issue. ges of models in provocative pose: and minimal-coverage swimsuits. "For serious female athletes who train long hours to excel at their sports to be upstaged in a sports magazine by models chosen for thei appearance (not their athletic ability) is an insult to women," stated Smith. "In addition, the context of the photographs in this issue may be considered pornograpl is in their depiction of power, with nearly naked women posed witt fully-dressed men." Smith also pointed out the captions accompanying the photos: "Kathy is the catch of the day" and "Kathy... makes the Dog course...look very inviting." "These give men the false message that women encourage and enjoy ogling and harrassment. These types of pictures in a sport magazine encourage men to look at female athletes as sex objects, by giving the impression that, for example, women who run marathons do so to be attractive and sexy." Sports Illustrated sold 5 mil] copies of its Swimsuit Issue last year, and flooded television with advertisements. As yet, the magazine has been unresponsiVe to requests to cancel the issue or char it to-a "Women's Sports" issue. Athletes for Equality is urging p( ple to write to Sports Illustrate( corporate sponsors, asking them t( stop supporting Sports Illustrate( Advertising provides approximatell 95% of Sports Illustrated's financial support. Some of the major dertisers include Ford, Chevrolet Nike, Wilson Sporting Goods, and Athletes for E Eastern Airlines. ality is also initiating a petiti drive directed at the magazine it Petitions and addresses ca self. be obtained from Beverly Smith, a 98 Spring St., Amherst MA 01002. icrt0+04040.040401.6.Cirtio4o C.C. A. F. T "We're not through yet" declal Peggy Smith, coordinator of Thunder Bay Citizens Concerned About Free de. The local group, along with the national organization headed by SaE atchewan farmer David Orchard, are commited to "building a grass rootE organization whose goal is Canadiar independence". The national organi2 tion plans to embark on a cross -cot- try tour to develop public awareneE of what the trade deal truly means, and to encourage the continuation c the fight to stop the deal. During the fall Smith has traN led in the Maritimes and eastern CE ada organizing Orchard's speaking t Smith, and other volunteers, left it jobs or studies and dedicated tt, months to spreading the message abc the trade deal. Her car has become continued on page PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTH :=RN WOMAN Tage.6 t �L. U. FIGHTS HARASSMENT by MYRNA HOLMAN On Tuesday October 25, 1988 Lakehead Unoversity was visited by Marilyn McKenzie, Sexual Harassment Investigator for the University of Manitoba. Ms. McKenzie was here to conduct two training sessions for employees who have been designated as contacts for people with complaints of harassment. A two hour information session for senior administrators was also completed. Ms. McKenzie dealt effectively with several myths surrounding the issue of harassment. She clearly indicated that releasing a policy and improving the profile of the policy will not result in a deluge of false People will however, complaints. be more comfortable coming forth with their concerns. She agreed with the Lakehead approach of instituting an informal process where people can talk about their experience without having to sign a complaint or "officially" deal with At the inthe alleged harasser. formal stage, the contact person dealing with complaint will be able to make suggestions, offer support and give direction. If the informal process does not produce a satisfactory result, the complainant will be encouraged to make the complaint formal. At this stage, an investigation into the complaint will be completed and the alleged harasser will be made aware that a complaint has been lodged. Ms. McKenzie's visit coincided with the release of a brochure outlining the Lakehead University Personal Harassment Policy which deals with all forms of harassment covered in the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Personal Harassment Brochure The bright orange is hard to miss. cover poses the question, "Who Can I Talk To?" Inside, there are examples of situations that might happen to staff, faculty or studThe brochure goes on to deents. fine harassment, outline suggestions for dealing with possible harassment scenarios, define the University stance on the issue and, identify three contact people who are trained to help. The contacts are, Myrna Holman, Human Resources Officer, Dave Parsons, Professor of English and, Joy Lawson, Director of Student Services. As well as releasing the brochure and providing training, several other initiatives are in the process of being implemented. A special project, funded by the Secretary of State has resulted in the hiring of project co-ordinator, Jane has recently Jane Livingston. designed a great poster which is prominently displayed throughout the campus indicating that harassment is offensive and unacceptable. She is also about to conduct a survey of staff, faculty and students to asses the incidence of harassment on campus. Jane will also be designing a career strategy project for female students. This project will start in January. Jane can be reached at 343-8022 and will welcome any suggestions or assistance you may have. Things are looking up at Lakeheadt C.C.A.F.T. cont'd. Stop The Deal Mobile, easily recognized with its bilingual signs of Save Canada - Stop Free Trade. "The response to our tour was incredible" Smith says. "All along the way new volunteers joined to help the tour. And we take credit for the dramatic drop in PC popularity in the OAITH Lobby by LENI UNTINEN On ,November- 28, .1988the,011tar440-- Association of Interval and Transition Houses carried out their annual lobby of members of the provincial government, on issues of concern to battered women and to shelters. Hopefully, political response to this action was more attentive than was the press. A prime concern of shelter boards and workers was the proposed funding formula for Transition Houses and Family Resource Centres. The inadequacy of the formula in terms of staff ratios, wages and definition of shelter services is a'major barrier to shelters being able to pro vide safe, accessible, quality services in keeping with the increasing demands. This, however, was not the only issue addressed. Press reports of the lobby could have better served battered women by covering other major issues such as the push by O.A.I.T.H. to force to parliamentary committee Bill 124 addressing access by non-custodial parents. Advocates for battered women have major concerns on the implication of this legislation for families where there is a history of violence. There must be an opportunity for public input and sending the bill to committee is the only avenue which allows this to take place. O.A.I.T.H. received commitment from opposition caucuses to such action. 'tatit Imes ." Sinittielfrettftt their (unfunded, volunteer) organization had had the time to travel the country the election results would have been quite different. She uses the election results in Saskatchewan as another example of the organization's effectiveness. CCAFT was founded in Saskatoon in 1983 and has been holding educational meetings and debates throughout the province in the last three years. The opposition vote in Saskatchewan was 62% and Ray Hynatyshyn, former Minister of Justice, and MP in Saskatoon, admitted his defeat was a result of the strength of the anti-free trade movement. CCAFT are extremely angry that the Liberals and the New Democratic Party appear to have given up the fi- Other issues addressed concerned services-for immigrant, Native and Francophone women; the threat to services for battered women by either free trade or for-profit privatization; inappropriate sentences afforded perpetrators of violence against women; and the demand for the release of a report compiled regarding the instances of police pressing charges in cases of wife/woman assault. The lobby organizers are to be ght against free trade. They point out commended for their efforts coordinthat 53% of voters chose the Liberals ating the focus of the 73 shelters and NDP, while only 43% voted Conseramd 6 organizations represented by vative; that over one million more O.A.I.T.H. as well as for their stroCanadians voted for the parties oppong demonstration of unmet needs, lack sed to free trade than for the trade of emergency beds and houses. Sheldeal Tories; that this election was ters were able to accommodate 8221 essentially a referendum on free trade women and their children in the past and the majority of Canadians clearly year, but unfortunately were forced voted against it. to turn away referBay elsewhere, The and Thunder group have alrea7594dy women, approximately one for met with MPs Lain Angus and Joe one. Comuzzi, The lobbyurging committee prepared the MPs to give leadhuge ership scrollsinwith the names of 7594 fighting against the trade womenagreement. and calledAsupon MPP's to ad- opposiwell as lobbying dresstion their responses to members these women. members, CCAFT are callWhile the earth did not be-them ing and writing Senators move to ask causetoof the lobby, the government did block the deal. not commitThunder to openBay either the public CCAFT will be meetminds purse, hearts their ing their regularly to or plan local activities the voices of advocates were heard, and cooperative action with the nationand the pain of women experiencing For more information al organization. violence at the hands of part- St. contact Peggy Smith, their 301 Cameron ners,Thunder was felt. Bay, P7C 2H1, phone 623-1120. 1, page NORTHERN WOMAN evaluation PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �8 WOMANPOWER (bon M/A) I toil along weighed down within my eatthey body, Tiled spitit searching sot the wett-wotn path and cti46 beyond. Some strength inside remains to push me even, upward Through the dense and hostile bush, Tit I can stop and test in that cleaning Mete Hope hangs warm and musky in the ait. (Az I climb, the Power grows gtaduatty sttongel) She us in the warmth oi the suntight that glides outside a cloud and tipples along my ctouching back. She is in the coot damp eatth that I gtasp beneath my sctambting hands. She titts het sweet siten sounds through the panting ofi my .labour, and {tom the ctiii above me. I zee het in the tich sag 6/towns oi Moth et Earth that suit/wand and encompass me. She ptay.6ut in the small-animat sounds that ctackte around me. (Az I teach the top, the Powet grows mote coniident, comes neaten) She inteteaus tightly with my ttembting .6ingetz. She is so6tty on my patted tips tike a gentle wind. She sweeps through my tired veins and gtowz strong and con4ident in the warm inside o6 me. Sift y, she cavort t6 on that ptateau and draws me taughing to the. na 4-tzP, (I beet the ptimat cart begin to gather deep within) I Anise my arms made strong high above me, Firm palms outzptead with welcome, To invite the body-seating joy to join and zttengthen me. Ftom deep inside and all around the primal Powet gatheAz iotth Hex drat buAzt. The hilts, the white-tight sq,the zpatkting emetatd Land gash with my enetgy my vatidity my competence my strength. sttong gowing, gather up my eaittht.Tpatp, down the path once mote. 1%4 Swe song upon my tips, sentry smite within' my thtOat, To goat above, and then to mesh with time Untit I need again the welt -warn path and eti44 beyond. Hea - ' . R.P. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �WORDS WE LIVED BY... The following is excerpted from the Ladies' Guide, a popular reference book of the 1890s. tal weakness and inactivity. Unnatural boldness in little girl. If she has previously been rea. The expression of the eyes. The dull, lusterless eye, surrounded by a dark ring, tells the tale of sin. EFFECTS OF SOLITARY VICE IN GIRLS served, this is just ground for the Palpitations of the heart, hys- suspicion of secret vice. teria, nervousness, St. -Vitus's The victim of this evil habit is cer- A forward or loose manner in company with little boys. Girls dance, epilog, and incontinence addicted to this habit are guilty of the most wanton conduct. Languor and lassitUde. In a girl who has possessed a marked de- bed. tain to suffer sooner or later the penalty which nature invariably inflicts upon those who transgress her laws. Every law of nature is enforced by an inexorable penalty. This is emphatically true respect- vvv and pains of which girls complain, dn....-. IN ....J..% HEALTH AND DISEASE, by no means easily ject slavery, the iron fetters of habit daily closing the prisoner more and more tightly in their grasp. The effect is to weaken the moral sense perhaps more rapidly than any other vice, until there is little left in the child's character to which an appeal can be made. load, iligdenhcol,- 1V1ifthood, which thousands of girls break down in health. The constitution, already weakened by a debilitating, debasing vice, is not prepared for the strain, and the poor victim drops into a premature grave. which when thoroughly estabterrible vice is held in the most ab- 4 LADIES' GUIDE worthlessness of girls originates in this cause alone. The period of puberty is one at The habit of self-pollution is one broken. The victim of this most us that a great many of the backaches, side-aches, and other aches are attributable to this injurious habit. Much of the nervousness, hysteria, neuralgia, and general HOW TO CURE VICIOUS HABITS lished, is ing the laws which relate to the sexual organs. Wide observation has convinced of urine, giving rise to wetting the kat eilac:i BY J. H KELLOGG M. D The mother should first carefully set before the child the .exceeding sinfulness of the habit, its loathsomeness and vileness, and the horrible consequences which gree of activity and energy, this should give rise to earnest solicitude on the part of the mother for the physical and moral condition follow in its wake. But in most cases, the evil is not so easily of her child. every moment of her waking alert to detect the first evidences of An unnatural appetite. Some- this vice in their daughters, since later nothing but almighty power times children will show an exces- hours. Care should he taken that the child dies not feign sleep for the purpose of gaining an opportunity to avoid observation. SIGNS OF SELF-ABUSE IN GIRLS Mothers should always be on the seems competent to loosen its grasp. The only positive evidence is detection of the child in the act. A suspected child should be watched under all circumstances with unceasing vigilance. [But ] aside from positive evidence, there are other signs which may lead to the discovery of positive evidence. A marked change in disposition. When a girl who has been truthful, happy, obliging, gentle, and confiding, becomes peevish, irritable. morose, and disobedient, she is under the influence of some foul blight. Loss of memory and loss of the love for study. The nervous forces -are weakened, giving place to men- sive fondness for mustard, pepper, vinegar, and spices. Little girls who are very fond of cloves are likely to be depraved in other respects. The presence of leukorrhoca. Self-abuse occasions a frequently recurring congestion of the parts, together with the mechanical irritation accompanying the habit. Ulceration about the roots of the nails. This especially affects one or both of the first two fingers of the hand, the irritation of the fingers being occasioned by the acrid vaginal discharge. mastered. The little girl should be kept under constant observation It is much more difficult to cure this soul-destroying vice in girls than in boys. They are seldom as ready to confess their guilt as are boys, and then are less easily influenced by a portrayal of its terrible consequences. Sleepless vigi- laqce must be coupled with the most persevering patience. In obstinate cases, severe means must be adopted. We were once obliged after every other measure had failed, to perform a surgiral operation [clitoridectomy] before Biting the fingernails. The irritation of the tigers, which gives rise to the habit of biting nails, grows out of the irritable condi- we were able to break the habit in tion ,of the nails mentioned above. degree. the case of a girl of eight or ten years who had become addicted to the vice to a most extraordinary szo PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISIONNORTHERN PDFCompressor WOMAN page 9 �continued from p2 The past four years of Tory rule has demonstrated an unprecedented move toward privatization, with the resulting loss of jobs in the public sector, and contracting out to nonunionized agents (where women workers earn barely the minimum wage). With the right of national treatment and the right of establishment provisions of the trade agreement, American pressure will reinforce the already odious privatization of the Tories. With increased privatization everyone suffers. We are not simply talking about selling Air Canada. We are talking about the privatization of services -- health care, social services, education, day care. Workers will suffer job loss, lower wages, decreased benefits, inadequate health and safety workplace conditions. Consumers will suffer because the quality of service will decrease. WORKING CONDITIONS Free trade is about "competition". To be competitive Canadian workers (women and men) will be under assault. Wages, working conditions, health and safety standards will all be eroded in the name of competition. On average, Canadian workers enjoy better employee benefits, more regulated health and safety standards, than do American workers. But as Ralph Nader said you never harmonize up, you only harmonize down. As with social programs, worker benefits and protection will be eroded. This erosion will affect non-unionized workers (the majority of women) first, but even organized workers will be pressured to give up hard-earned gains. EMPLOYMENT EQUITY/PAY EQUITY We will be lucky to retain the concept of 'equal pay for equal work' much less advance the concept of 'equal pay for work of equal value'. Pay/Employment Equity is not addressed in the trade agreement. It doesn't need to be. It will be the business lobby that will demand the government backtrack on its (inadequate) commitment to employment equity for the disabled and visible minorities, to pay equity for women. It will be too "expensive", just not "competivie" to ensure justice and dignity for disadvantaged Canadians. DAY CARE With a majority government the Tories doubtless will reintroduce TheearGAMTO'f Bill C-144, the JOBS Thousands of Canadian women will lose their jobs in services, manufacturing and agriculture because of the trade deal. The majority of women are employed in the service sector and their jobs will be threatened as restrictions on the provision of services from outside the country are removed. Just about every type of service can be traded internationally, including banking, data processing, telecommunications, computer servicesa and culture. In the manufacturing sector it is women's jobs that are most at risk eg textiles, clothing, food processing, electrical and electronic products, and other consumer goods. It is speculated that in Thunder Bay some 200 manufacturing jobs will quickly disappear -- jobs held primarily by immigrant women. disasterous Child Care Act, that died when the election was called. Two things should be kept in mind regarding this child care legislation. Firstly, the promotion of the Tory plan is a fine example of the newspeak the government is capable of, when declaring the proposed child care act "will encourage economic justice and development by giving many more mothers a chance to join the workforce" (CJ July/88). The legislation does no such thing. Rather this new bill will restrict the expansion of day care spaces. Remember that 1,000,000 new day care spaces are needed today to even approach the needs of Canadian families. Under the existing Canada Assistance Plan it is projected that 300,000 new spaces would be created in seven years, but under the new act a limit of 200,000 new spaces will be imposed. This is regressive legislation which will only worsen the day care crisis that already exists. The second thing to remember is the refusal of the government to consider the advice of child care experts (who unanimously condemn the plan). "Why should I listen.." Brian Mulroney arrogantly replied during the TV leaders debate. Since the Tories are not listening to the child care community, we must ask just who they are listening to. Consider the links to free trade. Bill C-144 would give unprecedented tax support to commercial day care operations. The doors will be open to American day care chains... with their history of exploitative wages and poor working conditions for staff, and lack of quality care for children (never mind the indoctrination of American culture on three year olds). Commercial day care has never been a problem in Northwestern Ontario... we must recognize that the influx of American day care chains could destroy the quality day care Northwestern Ontario communities now take pride in. ABORTION What will happen here is not so easy to read. There are, of course, significant numbers of anti-choice Tories and Liberals. The Conservative Cabinet yearns for a "compromise" solution, but given the abortion legislation exercise witnessed last summer, a simple compromise seems unlikely. One suspects that most Tory men would like strong anti-choice legislation, but their legal experts caution that such would not pass Supreme Court scrutiny. About the only safe presumptions are that (1) abortion legislation will not be introduced early in this government's term; (2) that anti-choice crusaders will increase their efforts to influence parliament, and (3) that the prochoice movement still has many years of hard work ahead. continued on p14 Comparable worth is just a disguised attack on our free enterprise system. It flies in the face of the values that made this country great? 1\( C.itrot4v.5imsev PDFNORTHERN compression, OCR, lo web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor WOMAN page �Book Review Reviewed by Kit Minor A Passion for Friends: Toward a Philosophy of Female Affection. Janice Raymond. Beacon Press, Boston, 1986. I found this one of the most moving texts that I have read in many months. It definitely should be on every Feminist bookshelf. The New York Times states that Raymond provides "an unsentimental, playful yet sobering look at female friendship through the ages." She begins the book with an intriguing and informative look at the origins of female friendship and the roles which they have played through the centuries. She develops terms such as Gyn/ affection for those tremendous bonds that bring women together. She is clear and well documented in her analysis of the myths that have been perpetuated concerning women and our role in hetero-relations, i.e. the wide range of effective, social,political and economic relations that are ordained between men and women by men. Music Review Raymond particularly attends to two groups of women, nuns and the Chinese marriage resisters, to emphasize the characteristics of female friendship and also points out clearly the struggles which these two groups have had to endure to retain the friendship and the chosen lifestyles. Although these two groups offered to women a community, Raymond is careful to point out that this does not necessarily mean a Feminist community. She cautions, "feminists can learn that when a movement or women's community becomes hardened into rhetorical positions, when the language of thought and cliches begins to prevail, there is no genuine feminist movement." (pg. 111) The obstacles to female friend" ship which Raymond introduces are indeed thought provoking and ,indeed, she does challenge some of the "gi- vens" within a feminist perspective. One of these areas is the "personal is political". To this Raymond asks do we really want to publicize our personal lives. She supports the need for private space and time while living in the world as opposed to dissociation from reality. She points out that if we are not in reality we may well become ignorant of the real conditions. The part of A Passion for Friends which had the greatest affect upon myself was that of victimism. "Women's primary female or feminist identity seems to be grounded in women's shared state of having been victimized by men" (pg.181). We then take on the traits of the victim and begin to centre our friendships along common lines of that victimism. Our friendships result out of how we feel as victims. The result is that we fall into the tyranny of therapist, where feminists feel that we are not completely whole unless we search deep into our souls and spirits and pull out every dark shadow. The real_ty here is that after we have done this we very often end up in worse shape than when we started. Raymond also challenges the tyranny of tolerance where we as feminists put up with incompetence among other women because we tolerate the situation and silently DITYMITT.7177711701NMETTMITTITCM #x7 , a a a a 1111 I, W nfth help, Ar mm "m;#, sense oi betonging, an otganization az needed ptace of equatz where att were we come middte point equally distant 4tom att sides ptace where ate sides were allowed thein iocu4 L/ , C/ A) by JANE SAUNDERS The women's music industry which has been in existence for 15 or more years, has evolved into a major facet of women's culture. The number of artists and the quality of production has greatly increased. Two recent albums from a couple of women's music regulars are Deidre McCalla's WITH A LITTLE LUCK (Olivia Records 1987), and Heather Bishop's A TASTE OF THE BLUES seniousness and 6tivotity teach out and allow to be /Leached the embtacing o6 .idea, oi spiALts a sense oi betonging, potiticat the need waz thete a sense o6 ziztethood AegaAdtess of potiticz my 6ocuz het limo Nth iOCU4 no tonget a community, a meeting peace no tango equatty distant atom alt side's (Iceber:;g Records 1987). Deidre McCalla has been on the women's music scene for many years, touring, and playing small clubs with mixed audiences. In the last few years she has really come into the limelight with her debut album DON'T DOUBT IT (Olivia Records 1985), WITH A LITTLE LUCK is very similar to DON'T DOUBT IT with its' dancable, energetic style. Both are very professionally produced by long-time women's music singer and songwriter Teresa Trull. WITH A LITTLE LUCK has all of the qualities which make women's music great. It is womanly, loving and reflective with strong personal and mildly political views. Deidre's voice weaves through the ballads TOO GOOD, MAMA'S LITTLE BABY GIRL, AND WAIT UNTIL MORNING. Then there is the 'hot' Teresa Trull duet WOULD YOU LIKE TO DANCE, and the punchy, upbeat blues tune THE CAT SONG (for those who have lived with other peoples cats). Also, there is the upbeat dancable pop style ALL DAY AL- 1114 11 114111 1212ZIMIZZ The album has a well-rounded variety of rock, blues and country/folk. It is a successful follow-up to her smash first album. Deidre McCalla is a very popular women's music entertainer who is energetic, personable and very professional (and woman produced and managed). HI sjiglizati INS 41 Heather Bishop's TASTE OF THE BLUES is a continuation of the stylish trends apparent in her previous album I LOVE WOMEN WHO LAUGH, and blends with her older music as well. This album contains rock influences, discusses lesbian/feminist politics and portrays women as strong builders and healers. Those women's music connoisseurs who know Heather will not be disappointed (and for those less fortunate, there is no better place to start). My personal favourite on this album is the cute, stylish and humourous SEDUCED. The new upbeat sound of ON THE RUN AGAIN is typical of Heather's new style trend. IF YOU LOVE FREEDOM is destined to become a political anthem, and the blues tune TELL ME MORE AND MORE must be heard. Heather also pulls out and revamps some 'oldies' PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN ( +/OMAN page 11 �Book Review continued from p.11 ranny of therapist, where feminists feel that we are not completely whole unless we search deep into our souls and spirits and pull out every dark shadow. The reality here is that after we have done this we very often end up in worse shape than when we started. Raymond also challenges the tyranny of tolerance where we as feminists put up with incompetence among other women because we tolerate the situation and silently accept it. It has become unfeminist to speak out against a woman, particularly a feminist, even when the woman is incompetent, manipulating and may well damage the movement. "The tyranny of tolerance deprives not only the individuals but also a political movement of its capacity for discernment. It gaps a moral passion and purpose from feminist politics" (pg.171). These obstacles, to female friendship (and these are lust a few of the many which Raymond points out) keep us from the true power and caring which happens when women come together. The obstacles hasten us towards heafero-relationism and silence within the world. And yet, as Raymond points out Gyn/ affection "has given us an understanding that a life of mere survival is insufficient for the spirit" (pg.200). In a vision of a female friendship Raymond points out that there is no magical formula, nor should it be taken for granted that women have a natural possession of virtue. "Rather it is anchored in the historical, cultural and material bonds that women have created for ourselves in spite of the 'State of Atrocity "'(pg.218). She encourages the reader to vision and to develop "thoughtful theory one that restores the thoughtfulness to thinking. Or better still, thinking is the theory, thoughtfulness Word Search Women Authors J YKSNELFRASERSSWD IAREVLISNOSTAWHL CULLETONSGIEMITAA N NAERCUNXONOSYORN E AWESTGIOMHEMMOVO RMUNROHGFTMSROFO D U KFBBUTALALLCRRRE AITKENONNIEONAANC L NNOCRNAPGNOTNBWT MARLATTPNNSWRNEDE W ILSONEEEIOUYIAWR B SBARRBLLOBSNEDAW G RSOJRLLDLPZRDLRR AEAAECALLAWSNEELR U BCNNNIFGESYNADAA L KGADDSEICONWAYNC TBEILTOGBROSSARDA Music Review continued from p.11 1 such as Joan Armatrading's TAKING MY BABY UPTOWN and a sultry version of Leslie Gore's YOU DON'T OWN ME. On the heavier side is the song DAD DY'S LITTLE GIRL; similar to Lucy Blue Tremblay's VOIX d'ENFANT (A CHILD'S VOICE) it decries the horro of incest. Rounding off the album is Heather's classic SPIRIT HEALER. A TASTE OF THE BLUES captured the vocal power of Heather Bishop's singing exactly as I heard it on he This alspring of '87 album tour. bum is a must for Heather Bishop fans. the practice" (pg.218). She encourages us to include passion within our friendships but points out that time is a critical factor. Friendship takes time, thoughtful passionate friendship takes more time, thought and caring, and commitment from both. Friendship is a togetherness journey. I obviously enjoyed this book immensely. In fact I read it twice. It is one book that I know I will reflect back upon and will want to reread every so often. At times the book is painfully truthful, and then Raymond has a wonderful gift of being able to see through the pain to a vision of truthful friendship; however somehow through the writing the reader begins to form her own idea of friendship. Raymond asks some hard questions, which most feminists are just too polite or silent to ask, but she asks so gently that the reader gets a sense of having gone through the struggle, feeling good about that struggle, and thinking a lot more about thoughtful, passionate, caring friendship with women, and taking the time for those friendships to grow. Aitken (Johan Lyall) Allison (Gay) Alley (Jennifer) Anderson (Doris) Atwood (Margaret) Barfoot (Joan) Barr (Elinor) Beadle (Gert) Bersianik (Louky) Bertell (Rosalie) Blais (Marie Claire) Brand (Dionne) Brossard (Nicole) Burnard (Bonnie) Butala (Sharon) Carr (Emily) Conn (Jan) Conway (Shelagh) Crean (Susan) Culleton (Beatrice) Danys (Milda) Decter (Ann) Donald (Christine) Engel (Marian) Finn (Geraldine) Finnigan (Joan) Fox (Bonnie) Fraser (Sylvia) Gadd (Maxine) Gault (Connie) Gotlieb (Phyllis) These albums and more will soon be available in the Northern Women's Bookstore. Watch for advertisement. in the Journal or contact Margaret Phillips at the Bookstore. Harvor (Elizabeth) Jiles (Paulette) APOLOGY Laurence (Margaret) Lenskyj (Helen) Marlatt (Daphne Meigs (Mary) Moran (Mary) Munro (Alice) THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURf APOLOGIZES ABJECTLY Naubert (Yvette) O'Connell (Dorothy) Oughton (Libby) TO Page (P.K.) Roy (Gabrielle) PHOTO ARTIST Sand (Cy-Thea) Silvera (Mikeda) Slipperjack (Ruby) Smyth (Donna) Swan (Susan) RUTHANN TUCKER OF TORONTO Thomas (Audrey) Wallace (Bronwen) Warland (Betsy) Warren (Dianne) Watson (Sheila) Weinzweig (Helen) West (Ann) Wilson (Ethel) Wiseman (Adele) Yanz (Lynda) FOR FAILING TO CREDIT HER WITH LAST ISSUE'S COVER PHOTO. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHEWJ WOMAN page 12 �From the National Film Board of Canada ALL ABOUT WO M EN WOMEN'S AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS HOME VIDEO VIEWERS PROFESSIONALS (NURSES, TEACHERS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS) PUBLIC LIBRARIANS, COMMUNITY WORKERS MUNICIPAL, PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Choose from our collection of short and long documentary, fiction and animated films and videos that inform, entertain, and promote discussion on a wide range of subjects. WOMEN WHO LED THE WAY HEALTH, WELL BEING AND FITNESS in sports, the arts, religion, Family violence, rape, incest Pregnancy Abortion Menopause Aging Disabilities War, peace, disarmament Working mothers, childcare Single mothers, divorce, women PMS politics and the feminist movement in rural and native communities, unions, the armed forces, business and non-traditional jobs in poverty RENT A VIDEO OR FILM! VIDEO: $2 EACH DAY 16 mm: $4-$8 service charge, valid for five days (excluding time in transit) Available for pick-up or by mail from all NFB libraries in Canada. Buy a video for as little as $29.95; film prices start at $72.80. Members of the NFB's Women's Market Development Group are located in NFB offices across Canada. They can help you select films and videos for your group or event. See "National Film Board" listed under the "Government of Canada" section in the blue pages of your telephone directory. r 7 I'd like to know more about NFB films for women . Please add my name to your mailing list announcing new releases and send me a copy of your video rental catalogue. Please send me your new catalogue of films for women (available in early 1989). Please send me the new publication Women Breaking Through, a 28-page audiovisual guide for secondary schools. MAIL TO: National Film Board of Canada, Women's Market Development Group, D-5, P.O. Box 6100, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3H5 NAME INSTITUTION POSITION ADDRESS PROVINCE CITY POSTAL CODE National Film Board of Canada Office national du film du Canada L NORTHERN WOMAN page 13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �continued from n.,10 CANADIAN CULTURE FEMINIST LITERATURE Over the past decade the growth With good reason, Canadian wriof feminist literature - the heart, ters, artists, musicians, have been amongst the most passionate opponents head and soul of the feminist moveof the trade deal. This article canment - has been phenomenal. Hundreds of new Canadian women writers are pubnot begin to address the issues surlished each year, women's presses have rounding our cultural industries, developed, and feminist bookstores except to note that - despite government rhetoric - Canadians, indeed, have sprung up across the country. The contribution of this surge of wrishould be fearful for the future of our cultural industries. ting - both creative and theoretical is immeasurable. But if the ConservaWe need also to make a distinctives have their way this continued tion between cultural industries and growth of feminist (and alternative) culture. We must understand the threpublications will be hampered, perhaps at to Canadian culture, as expressed by Martin F. Katz in the November iskilled outright. sue of Quill and Quire. Katz states High on the Tory agenda is the "Culture is that bedrock of shared implementation of tax reform which beliefs and understandings that alwould replace the federal sales tax lows Canadians to exchange ideas, with a new broad-based, multi-stage Feelings, and priorities about busitax which would apply to books. (At ness and poverty and the role of the present books are not taxed.) It is military and social justice and the projected that this new sales tax woenvironment and gun control and equuld add a tax of between 17% - 20% on ality, for example. This bedrock of all reading materials. (Your $9.95 understanding - of common or similar Almanac will become $12, your $22.95 goals and principles - constitutes Our Bodies, Ourselves will be $27.50, the foundation of our culture... To even the least expensive paperback the extent that the trade deal will will increase $1 or more.) import into the Canadian cultural bedThe end result will be that many rock some of the basic and fundamentsmall Canadian presses (which, in the al economic principles of American main, are the publishers of new women life, it will subvert or alter the writers) will go bankrupt. Most of development of this culture. Once we the independent bookstores in Canada accept, for example, as we have in will close. Most Canadian women writhe trade deal, that regional deveters won't get published. Our words lopment programs distort "free trade" will not be heard. while military installations that Periodicals will be likewise afbrings jobs and prosperity to the comfected. And the "unfair subsidy" ismunities in which they are establishsue of the trade deal may come into ed do not, the way we think about govplay. Most Canadian literary and speernment spending', among other things, cial interest magazines now receive changes. This kind of 'change in our government subsidies, and their futthinking means that our culture will be ure is in jeopardy. The demise of HERaffected by the trade deal." izons and Newsmagazine for Alberta Women is fair warning of what happens NORTH ERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St Calendars when subsidies are withdrawn. (As th Northern Woman Journal does not acce government funding we may survive th fate of subsidy-dependent magazines. But we, like every periodical in Can ada, enjoy a postal subsidy, which most likely will disappear, thus the Journal may have to pass resulting cost increases onto our readers.) If we want to continue to have a choice beyond Cosmopolitan or Hust ler, we must all join the DON'T TAX READING campaign presently being organized by Canadian publishers and booksellers. It is particularly ironic that the government proclaims to be suppc tive of programs that address the pr blem of illiteracy, at the same time it plans to impose a tax on reading. Misinformation Campaign The federal election is over. The Conservatives waged (at taxpayer expense) a misinformation campaign about free trade, a misinformation campaign about their child care strz tegy. We can expect a similar misinformation campaign about tax reform and other new policy initiatives. The Conservatives do not have a mandate for their agenda (57% voted against the Conservatives, 43% for). They do, however, have the power to impose their agenda as they have the majority of parliamentary seats. The have the power to destroy the modest reforms the feminist movement create The power to destroy our culture, ou identity, our country. We must not let this happen. Now more than ever, we must advance a feminist agenda of the futur We do not have the financial resourc of government - of big business. But we have our commitment. It is our fu ure that is at stake. CHILDREN OF THE WORLD AFRO-CARIBBEAN CALENDAR MOON CALENDAR CARRY IT ON .. PEACE CALENDAR LET NICARAGUA LIVE AT LOVERS AGAINST THE BOMB CRYSTAL CALENDARS LUNAR CALENDAR DATE BOOKS PICTURE A WOMAN EVERYWOMAN'S ALMANAC CONTEMPORARY WOMEN ARTISTS HERSTORY PEACE DATE BOOK WE'MOON ALMANAC 1 9 11 9 CALENDAR Thursday & Friday : 11.30 -600 WOMEN ARTISTS DATEBOOK WOMEN WRITERS Saturday :11.30 -4.31 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 14 �Ferron By Donna Koivisto "We love you Ferron:" a female voice cries out from a back row. There is some applause and a few whistles. Ferron puts her hands on her chest, lifts her eyebrows as if to say, "Who me?" Then she leans close to the mike and says softly, "I love you too." The intensity and poetic magic of Ferron's music has earned her It is in acclaim across the world. this spirit that Kamazon Productions is proud to present an evening with Ferron, tentatively scheduled for February 14, 1989. Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Ferron has progressed from coffee houses to sellout crowds in 2000 seat venues. Het two albums, Test imony and Shadows on a dime have sold more than 80,000 copies. However, despite success Ferron has maintained a low centre of gravity and an interview with her would more likely focus on the metaphysical, dreams or the mystery of songwriting than on tour schedules or record She is, in fact, an intimsales. idating figure to unenlightened "I'm a spirit who bereporters. came a person." She said in a recThis philosophy ent interview is not condusive to mainstream news reporting. Concert Planned But her substantial talent, wisdom and compassion have brought her above the need for media categorization, yielding fans who have remained unshakably loyal to the feminist/lesbian bard. Perhaps Ferron's hardest task was becoming the self-assured performer she is today. "When I was younger I was so afraid of the audience, because I needed their love so much," she says, "It took me a long time to realize they did love me." This bond of love between Ferron and her audience evolved because she is simply herself. Amid the stren strength of her poetic words the audience senses her vulnerability and honesty. "They honour me and I honour them." But I don't ionget about the iacto4y, I don't expect thi.z 'tide to aLway4 be, Can I give you what you want to zee? Can we do it one mate time? Tickets for Ferron will be available For more information phone soon. Kamazon Productions at 344-4811. Bookstore News Let's start with fiction this month. Heading the list of course is Margaret Atwood's new novel CAT'S EYE. (McClelland and Stewart) I've been saving it as my Christmas treat to myself, as I'm told once you start it you can't put it down. Of particular interest to Northwestern Ontario readers will be Ruby Slipperjack's HONOUR THE SUN (Pemmican), a first novel which gives us a glimpse of growing up in an isolated native community on the CNR line. From the eyes of a 10 year old girl we see the beauty, the pathos, the joy, the dispair of coming of age in an alienated community (so familiar to Northern Ontario). HONOUR THE SUN is not a gentle book, yet it is told in such a gentle voice, I'm left with a sense of awe. Several new titles from the small Saskatchewan publisher Coteau Books who in the past have given us such impressive books as Sharon Butula's QUEEN OF THE HEADACHES, and THE WEDNESDAY FLOWER MAN. This year they give us two short story collections that sound great: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE by Bonnie Burnard, and BEST KEPT SECRETS by Pat Krause. The most powerful indictment of violence against women I've ever read (and I've read many) comes from the novel WOMAN AT POINT ZERO (Zed Books) by Nawal el Saadawi, (translated from the Arabic by Dr. Sherif Hetata). el Saadawi is Egypt's foremost novelist. Her prose is magnificant but it is her passion that makes her books exceptional. We are very happy to find a number of great books back in print. Three of Margaret Laurance's early works - THE TOMORROW TAMER, THIS SIDE JORDAN, and THE PROPHET'S JMEL BELL. And finally I've had Lhe chance to read Marian Engel's THE GLASSY SEA - a very, very fine novel. Also PATIENCE AND SARAH by Isabel Miller, considered by many to be the best lesbian novel ever published. Turning to non-fiction, a title we mentioned last issue but one that bears greater description, THE COURAGE TO HEAL by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis (Harper and Row) is a guide book for women survivors of child sexual abuse. This is a practical and healing guide covering Recognizing, Coping, Breaking silence, Trusting Yourself, Grieving, Anger, Self-Esteem, Feelings and much more; as well as guides for supporters of THE COURAGE TO HEAL is survivors. proving to be a vital resource to survivors and counsellors. Two new books on date rape, both useful healing and prevention resources. I NEVER CALLED RAPE, the Ms. Report on Recognizing, Fighting, and Surviving Date and Acquaintence Rape by Robin Warshaw (Harper and Row), and WARNING: DATING MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH: by Claudette McShane (Mother Courage Press). _Following in the path of tne essential health book OUR BODIES, OURSELVES, comes an equally important resource for midlife and older women, OURSELVES, GROWING OLDER, by Paula Brown Doress and Diana Laskin Siegal and the Midlife and Older Woman Book Project (Simon and SchusThis is the only book I've ter). found that gave me useful information about a recent health concern, I'm sure this comprehensive book will be equally welcomed by other mature women. Another new health book is ALIVE AND WELL, a Lesbian Health ,Guide, by Cuca Hepburn, Ph.D. with Bonnie Gutierree, R.N., CPNA (Cross"...a well-informed, ing Press). loving guide to lesbian health, both mental and physical. Rather than to prescribe specific health care, the goal is to present a range of health care options for losbians to considet:" Finally, for last minute Christmas shoppers some gift ideas: Motherpeace Tarot Cards and/or Playbook; records/cassettes by Kim Erickson, Karen Howe, Cathy Miller, Heather Bishop; posters, or any of a wide variety of calendars and date books. Or, if your imagination falters, give a gift certificat to the Northern Woman's Bookstore. HAPPY ROPY ROLINYs' Mar Phillips PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN NOMAN oaae 15 �Share your innovative and original expressions with all of us -7- same deal! him-tech YES INDEED WE NEED TO KNOW YOU'RE OUT THRRE We can be Our subscripticn lists are now on computer. Please date with our mailings. more accurate and up to check your label to see if your address and expiration date is correct. We haven't heard from some of you in a while. Many of our subscriptions have expired. Have you moved and we aren't reaching you? Do we no longer meet your needs? Complain and keep subscribing. If you already have a subscription 7,introduce the NORTHERN WOMAN to a friend. THANKS. WE'VE MOPED WORDS WANTED Please send all articles, graphics and subscription requests to: REWARD NORTHERN P.O. THUNDER P7C For any unsolicited copy - original articles, stories - that we use you will be given a free one year subscription for yourself or a friend, WOMAN JOURNAL BOX 144 BAY, ONTARIO 4V5 I HERE'S MY SUB. The NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL 4.4 a vehicte to encoutage a 6eminizt awaune6s cr6 the zit-dation o6 women in out society and to ptovide an attetnative to the patA4.lachat media. We -peak to women 6ighting against 6eXi401, tacism, homophobia and hetetosexism. Sttiving-to be a cOmmunication tink between women in Notthvestm Ontatio. in addition to attictes oA gtobat and nattona -e concvm. 4e az°. 4eetz mate/tide o6 pa/Lticutak tetevance to Nonthwe6te4n Ontario women. AU matetiat setected son. inc tusion witt be cho6en by the consenmo of the cottective. AU otiginat submizsion6 ate teviewed. It is pte6etabte that the authors do any content editing tequited, but the cottective Name vitt editwith the author's peAmbmion. PtOducing a nempapen by votunteek tabout and without &inding 44 an enotmous ta4k. Feminizt newodpeu thtoughout Canada au con6tantty istitugUng to 6a4vive. Address Individual $5 Institutional $10 The NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL has isuAvived Pongee than many and with your 6uppott we wilt continue to gtow. There au many ways that you can aim-Lt the JOURNAL. Oniginat antictez, teviews, gtaphics and titetaty conttibutions au'atmay6 etcomed. News, items about disttict women's i66ue6, conceits/6 and 6e.kvice, not othetwise widety pubticzed ate impottant. Locating d44tti.button points to AegtonaZ communitt.e6, and encouAaging 61166ouption purchases wowed Aeatty hap. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Mail Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL 7.0. BOX 144 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7C 4V5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Return Postage Guaranteed p2 EDITORIAL - ELECTION RESULT p3 SOLSTICE THOUGHTS p4 JOSIE WALLENIUS: PERFORMANCE ARTIST p5 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p6 UPDATE p7 L.U. FIGHTS HARRASSMENT OAITH LOBBY JONI MACE-KIT MINOR-LORETTA PAVAN- p8 WOMANPOWER MARGARET PHILLIPS-ROSE PITTIS-CYNTHIA STOLZ p9 WORDS WE LIVED BY Collectively produced CAROLYN GREENWOOD-MARY-ANN KLEYNENDORST . . . pll BOOK AND MUSIC REVIEWS p12 WORD SEARCH Northern "%Vernon Journl P.O. BOX 144 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7C 4V5 (POUVISSUES) WOO ULM Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 4 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 4 (December 1988) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Newly elected conservative government Threat to social programs Privatization Winter solstice Spoken word The power of storytelling Rape Crisis Centre funding crisis Family violence prevention month Immigrant women’s conference National Association of Women and the Law Sexual harassment in the workplace Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue Call for lesbian stories for Women’s Press Thunder Bay Citizens Concerned About Free Trade Lakehead University harassment prevention workshops Transition house lobbying Poetry Job availability Working conditions Pay equity Employment equity Daycare acces Abortion access Feminist book review of A Passion for Friends: Toward a Philosophy of Female Affection by Janice Raymond Music review National Film Board of Canada films for women Feminist literature Ferron concert Northern Woman’s Bookstore news Authors/Contributors: Josie Wallenius Ontario Women’s Directorate Myrna Holman Leni Untinen Kit Minor Jane Saunders Donna Koivisto Carolyn Greenwood Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Jonie Mace Loretta Pavan Margaret Phillips Rose Pittis Cynthia Stolz Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2818/1989_Vol_12_No_1.pdf 39521c7b0de218ef066f1cf1bdbc659a PDF Text Text PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �EDITORIAL In the NORTHERN WOMAN Vol.11 #4 we analyzed the election results and the free trade implications. At that time as said; "We must mature our awareness and analysis of the full Conservative agenda - social policy, tax reform, trade - and determine what is in store for us in the next four years. Behind the mask of free trade lies a neo-conservative agenda (which would not on its own be risked) that will devastate the vulnerable in our society, will erode the modest gains that women have made, and will set back the cause of social justice and equality for a decade." We now have the federal budget and our fear becomes reality. The propaganda about the deficit is, of course, a smokescreen. What the Wilson budget does is deliver the free trade agreement and begin the harmonization of our social and economic systems to the American model. And what is the American model? We need to understand that the United States, among industrialized nations, has: -the biggest gap between the rich and the poor -the highest per capita poverty rate -the most children living in poverty - the most people without health care -the most homeless -the highest rate of adult illiteracy -the poorest legislation governing working conditions. So we have the Wilson budget. A budget that begins the process of destroying our Unemployment Insurance system. And make no mistake, it is women that will be most seriously hurt by the U.I.C. changes. A budget that ignores child care...while the decade -long child care CRISIS escalates. A budget...that begins the erosion of universality. A budget that embraces privat zation...again most seriously harp ing women. A budget that reduces support for regional economic development and the development of Native communities. A budget that reduces transfe payments for health and post-secor dary education. A budget that cuts funding to women's, Native and multicultural organizations...Decade Council cut 15%, Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Committee cut 30-35%, Women's Place Kenora cut, etc., et If we are to avoid the erosior of our Canadian society until we a/ indistinguishable from the Americar we must act NOW. We must inform ourselves. Infc others. Protest. Organize. Keep Canada alive. BREAKING THE SOCIAL CONTRACT On June 9th, about 150 Thunder Bay people gathered at the CPR station- with petitions outlining QUI' In response to the federal budget, representatives of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, the Pro-Canada Network and the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Workers joined together to GET THE BUDGET BACK ON TRACK, travelling coast to coast protesting the budget and pointing out that: "Past and ptezent genetations of Canadians have developed a unique zociat conttact with theit govetnment. Thtough this sociat conttact, Canadians have ctaimed theit basic democtatic tights as citizens to a system o4 zociat programs designed to ensure decent emptoyment, education, eon- uMet ptotection, cuZtukat development, and 4ait taxation. The current 4edetat government La now bteaking that sociat conttact. The Free Trade Agreement has set the stage {got hatmonizing out economy and sociat programs with the economy and sociat programs o4 the United States. The recent Witzon budget zetvez to accetetate this process Tog ethet, these economic sttategiez past wL destroy the investment generations in out nationat and democtatic 4utute." . Northwestern Ontario concerns for the protesting travellers to take to Ottawa. The Northwestern Ontario protest centred on child care, Via Rail and postal service cuts, Air Canada privitization, regressive sales tax, U.I.C., Old Age Security, Family Allowances and cuts to the Secretary of State Women's Programs. Congratulations go to the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council who spearheaded the Thunder Bay event, which was an energyzing rally, complete with protest songs led by the "Raging Grannies". A similar rally was organized in Kenora by Women's Place, Kenora. "I with to shake my betie4 abo, the ideotogicat peupective {j nom I think thiz government opetata. I believe that Mutitoney'4 Conzekvativ unlike any Canadian Conzetvative go etnment bepte them, wish to change the iundamentat bafance between pub tic good and ptivate gain that has chatactenized out history. They wiz to move Canada toward an economic m et in the image o4 Thatcheez BAita and Reagan'4 Ametica. They betieve that the unlettered (tee market La the bent alb -ton (14 oppottunity one that government shoutd disengage it set4 4tom the dizttibution o4 weatt They have been joined by Cotpo ate Canada (and I diztingui4h this sector ?nom smatt and medium sized businesses who create most o4 the jobs, and who ate 6u46eting under this government as wett), who have out grown Canada, and whose set intetezt cteatty no tongeA patattet outs nationat interest. Canada La be coming a cta)mic cotpotatist state, whete huge cotpotations ate the don inant in4titutows, and who pursue growth in wea -Pth and power as theL' singte ovettiding goat. National Autez ptomoting competition and Lin iting theist growth ate seen as an impediment. In 4cect, big business was seeking (nee ttade, not to tinh businesz to the nationat putpoe, but tathet to itee it {tom such a Aesponsibitity." Maude Battow Chaitpetson Council. o4 Canadiak PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor 'NORTHERNWOMAN page 2 �RED FLAG BILL 124: An Act to Amend the Children's Law Act by LENT UNTINEN for: The Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council Sub-commitee on Violence We also challenged Section 24 (2c) in respect to custody and access: "The length of time the child has lived in a stable home environment" as a consideration. This clause does a disservice to battered women whose move from the home has been forced by fear and to the many shelters for battered women which have been established to provide stability for the women and their children in times of crisis. The Violence Sub-Committe of the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council recently submitted a brief to the Standing Committee on Social Development. Sub-Committee members identified many concerns regarding the Bill 124 An Act to Amend the Children's Law Reform Act. Under this legislation access by a non-custodial parent is assumed to be "in the best interest of a child". Further, "encouraging and supporting the childls-continuing parent-child relationship with the other parent" assumably requires some co-operation. If co-operation were a factor in custody-access agreements a legislation of this type would be unnecessary and in fact is unnecessary in the majority of cases. Subsequently this legislation is designed for the minority of custody-access cases with implications for the majority and very serious implications for women and children ending a violent relationship. In reality shuffling a child back and forth, between parents 1) where there is a history of violence, or 2) where parents are in conflict, or 3) where one parent is,kin fear of the other, other, is is definitely not in the best interest of a child. Inclusion of this duty clause sets the stage for granting custody, weighing consideration of a parent's intention to co-operate in according access. This particular clause offers a dangerous choice of options for battered women: a) fight for custody, deny access and risk losing custody or b) agree to access and risk the safety of herself and her child. , Section 24 (2e) includes the "ability and willingness of each person seeking custody to provide ... the necessities of life and to meet the special needs of children". Clarification must be made in order to ensure that the lower average income levels of women (yet to be corrected by adequate Ontario Pay Equity legislation) does not penalize mothers and that custody and access are not "bought" by the higher income earner. Concerns were expressed regarding "reimbursing reasonable expenses" when access has been denied and the ability of women on limited income to comply with this order. Section 35 suggests "Appointing a mediator" and the possibility of court ordered mediation. Court ordered mediation between two persons where an equal negotiating status may not exist, particularly in circum- between the two may have either been controlling or violent is a very dangerous option. While the subcommittee supports the paragraphs listing the possibility of physical and emotional harm as reasons for denial of access, we are aware of many women leaving relationships after years of physical and emotional abuse and where "proof" of the violence has not been documented. The Ontario Government is well aware of the many reasons for this and through their literature have titled wife assault as "the silent crime ".. How- ever, we are not convinced of the judical system's sensitivity to this characteristic of family violence. This particular status leaves open the possibility that women who cannot prove past violence may be forced to agree to access in order to not appear uncooperative and risk losing custody, or, the possibility that women who have left violent relationships will not seek child support knowing that access may be a condition and possibility of further harassment may be realized. "Require Supervised" access as referred in section 35 a (6) (a) is not available throughout Northwestern Ontario. The region has, at best, minimal support services to deal with both family breakdown and family violence. Laws applicable to Ontario should consider the reality of all Ontario regions, in order, that courts do not order support systems which a community cannot provide. No clear data exists that access denial is a major problem. The lack of consultation with persons that will be most affected by the proposed legislation leads to speculation that Bill 124 is a political response to pressure groups reacting to The Supand Custod. Enforcement Act. Reof children require in depth study and consultation. Legislation presented to protect children must not be initiated as a political maneuver. Drafted pieces of legislation are always complicated documents. By their very format they tend to intimidate the average person. It requires time and hard work to absorb the meaning of clauses and to think through the implications. But legislation, policies or programs involving custody, access and mandatory mediation should be a red flag to women's organizations across the country. This is not a time to be apathetic to drafted legislation because of the complexity of the language. Study it, understand it, react to it. The future safety of thousands of women and children may depend on it. '774E S niEr PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN- WOMAN page 3 �LONG DISTANCE DELIVERY: A Guide to Travelling Away from Home to Give girth by HOLLY RUPERT Birthing is a special health issue for Northern women. The medical services women need during pregnancy, labour and delivery, are not always available in the small towns of Northwestern Ontario. That means women must travel, often to a large hospital in a distant city, to get the care they need. "When I got to the Thunder Bay hospital, I was alone. My husband was left behind, so were my three other boys. You're really lost and alone. I asked the nurse who went with me for a hug -- I really thought I was going to die, or that the baby would die. That's why I was willing to get a hug from anyone." If a woman is sent by ambulance to another hospital, often her partner or relative is not allowed to accompany her. The space in an ambulance is limited, especially if an air ambulance is used. If an incubator is needed for the baby, there may not be room for an extra passenger. Sometimes poor weather conditions mean more fuel is needed for the flight and that too, restricts the number of passengers who can be on board. For many of the women we spoke to, being separated from their partner or other relative was the most difficult aspect of an out-oftown birth. The Project on Out-of-Town Birth grew out of a concern about the impact birthing away from home has on women. We wanted to find a tangible way to help women in our region find positive ways to cope with the demands of this situation. We decided to research and write a booklet that would serve as a practical guide to out-of-town birth. The project, which began in December 1987 and will come to an end this summer, has been funded by Health Promotion Directorate, Health and Welfare Canada. It is co-sponsored by two women's groups - the Red Lake Women's InformatiOn Group and the Northwestern Ontario Women's Health Infoimation Network based in Thunder Bay. In the early stage of the project, we went to several small towns in NorOwes tern Ont4r,igt,t.st, hear T44941g44441,ftsmIewm-:could tell us about out-of-town birth. We travelled to Marathon, Terrace Bay, Manitouwadge, White River, Sioux Lookout, Ignace, Vermilion Bay, Dryden, Ear Falls and Red Lake. At an open meeting in each town, women talked about the problems they had faced. They suggested things that would have made the trip Often the things that worried away easier. women reflected the isolation and naThe women in towns like Ignace tural challenges that characterize and Vermilion Bay, which lack a hospilife in the bush. tal, told us about the many practical For instance, being stranded on details they had to plan for in addithe highway by poor weather was a contion to finding a doctor and thinking cern for women who must travel to hosabout the obstetrical care they would pital in their own car. We heard of prefer. For instance, they had to ara couple who, in their panic to get range for friends or neighbours to care to the hospital once labour had startfor their children and homes when they ed, hit a moose calf on the highway. left for hospital. One woman talked about her confusion "With my second pregnancy I had a when the whole town was evacuated girlfriend lined up" an Ignace woman just before her due date because of said. "If I went into labour during the a threatening forest fire. Some even night, she said she'd come and stay said they would try to avoid a spring with my daughter. She was basically on or fall delivery as the flying weathcall for my last month. And if she coer is notoriously fickle at those uldn't do it another woman would." times of the year. Some spoke of the tremendous fear The ideas, advice and stories we that took hold when things went wrong gathered during the community meetings during labour or delivery. In many comhave become the basis of the booklet munities, the local hospital is not eto be distributed this summer. As we quipped to handle emergencies and womlistened to women talk about their exen must be sent to another hospital by periences, we were moved by the loving air ambulance. When this happens, womcourage with which they face birth un7 en may feel they are being swallowed der these circumstances. up by events beyond their control. In the second stage of the proMany told us about the loneliness they ject, we asked health care workers felt giving birth in a hospital far what they felt women need to know abfrom family and friends. out out-of-town birth. We sent a sur"My husband stayed with me until vey to prenatal instructors who help they put me in the ambulance" said a to prepare women for birth. We asked woman from Marathon who was sent to doctors and nurses who care for women Thunder Bay by airplane. She had bein small and large hospitals for their gun to hemorrhage with her fourth baideas. And we surveyed public health by, now a healthy preschooler. nurses who visit women when they return home from the hospital. The res- ponses gave us a clearer picture o the medical reasons for out-of-tow birth. We learned about the proble in providing continuity of care fo women before and after their birth Why are women having to trave away to give birth? The most commo reason is the lack of local birthi services. In most places, the loca doctor provides prenatal care, but another doctor in a large city hos tal will assist at the delivery. I that hospital is far away, it may difficult to have prenatal visits with the doctor before the birth. This situation affects many Native women from reserve communit In our region, they represent the jority of those having out -of -tows births. The demands of travel and paration from family and friends E especially hard for Native women. They must make the trip out to hos tal about two weeks before their d date and wait for their baby's art val. They may feel lonely, displac and bored as they try to cope in a world so culturally different fron their own. In some places, such as Nipig the doctors haver-emmMitrvartr/tPINn ver babies although there is a loc hospital. In 1985, the Nipigon doc tors decided the number of babies they delivered the previous year about 25 -- was too low to ensure necessary competency level for obE etrical care. That is, the doctors weren't getting enough practice at delivering babies to feel that the could do it safely. When the Nipigon doctors ann( ced they would be sending women t( out-of-town doctors for labour an delivery, some community women wet angry. They did not want to lose familiar, personalized care they 1 known at the local hospital. Desp: lobbying efforts and community sui port for continued birthing servi( the doctors have stood firm. An informal survey of Nipigoi women, carried out in 1987 by the Northwestern Ontario Women's Heali Information Network, found that d re were at least 68 births that yo Even with this apparent increase, birthing services have not been r( instated. There has been a growing tree in the last decade, in Northweste. Ontario as in other parts of the try, to use a regional model in p viding birthing services. Within given region, hospitals provide b thing services based on their geo, phic location and the specialized people on their staff. In some ca smaller medical units may be clos to consolidate services. Women wi greater medical risks are sent to hospitals which can offer more sp cialized care. Those who support 1 . continued on pg 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 4 �*********************** * * * Ontario Women's Directorate * RESOURCE CENTRE * * *********************** A new TV and VCR for previewing videos in the office are two new resources available to the commmity. We now have an audio cassette of THE COURAGE PO HEAL: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Assault and a cassette of Elly Danica's Morningside interview. Elly Canica is the author of DON'T: A Woman's Word/ Four copies of each book are also available to borrow. WIFE ASSAULT PREVENTICN MONTH WOMEN AND POLITICS consists of six one-hour programs designed to help women achieve, exercise and hold on to political power. This video series presents highlights of a twoday conference held in November 1986 at Ryerson. Host Rosemary Brown introduces participants such as Chaviva Hosek, Michele Landsberg, Kay Sigurjonsson and Maude Barlow. A 48 page booklet comes with the NOVEMEiER 1989 series. November has again been chosen for the public education campaigns of Ontario Women's Directorate and public This community groups. education campaign ties in with November 25th - International Day EREADUNG FREE is a video recently purchased from the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women Disability Awareness Project. Disabled women present their Against Violence Against Women. experiences. Committees and groups active in area of wife assault prevention will have ,rpceived -information and grant to funding up for applications education a public for $1,500 project. that reflect must Projects "Wife Assault is a Crime" and that the community has a responsibility to address this issue. APPLICATIONS !CST BE violence prepared for and used in schools in London, Ontario also is available. Amazons and Military Maids: Women who Dressed as Men in Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness, Julie Wheelwright Politics of Reproduction, Mary O'Brien northern organizations Story Behind Child custody, The Susan Crean Children's Story: Sexually Molested Children in Criminal Court, Judge Sandra Butler Smith (US). looking for this? Immigrants need to be part of the Ontario Community and contribute to economic and social development. Ontario has skills shortages and many of the immigrants that have came to Canada are skilled to work in many kinds of jobs. Immigrants need to improve their level of income and to be able to make enough money to cover their basic living and social needs. They don't want to stay on social assistance and be a burden to learn society. They need to English to qualify for professions, community by the selection committee to participate in the Sumer Experience '89 chosen to have the opportunity to finish their studies or to have specific training in order to get skilled program. The Directorate's Northern Office will have a student working on jobs. immigrants will have these opportunities, it will be easy for society to fill its skills shortage and together Canadians and newcomers can work for the development of Canada. Maria Albizurez If several projects this summer: - the development of an employment equity information mailing list - the cataloguing of written materials in the Resource Centre - the development of a catalogued video /film section of the Resource Centre, and - the updating of last years Directory of Women's Organizations in Northern Ontario The Thunder Bay Immigrant Women's Planning Committee is trying to open doors for immigrants to enter educational programs. Why are they its In the Name of the Fathers; Beendigan, Women in Crisis, SiouxHudson-North, Women's Place Kenora and Mattawa Family Resource Centre IMET.GRANT VEMEN IN TEENIER BAY SOME NEW BOOKS Seam Allowance, Industrial Home Sewing in Canada, Laura Johnson SUMMER EXPERIENCE 7171,7Wrl PS WE CARE, a K-13 school curriculum discussing the issue of family RECIll[VED BY AUGUST 4th are 1960 - Birth control pills go on sale. 1943 - Betty Frfedan's The Feminine Mystique becomes war cry of women's movement. 1967 - Ottawa appoints Royal Commission on Status of Women. 1969 - Criminal Code amended, making abortion legal if approved by a hospital's therapeutic abortion committee. 1970 - First women's studies course given at Uni versa./ of Toronto. 1971 - Robert Andras appointed first federal cabinet minister responsible for status of women. 1972 - NationalAction Committee on We Status of Women founded. 1973 - Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women established. 1962 - Bertha Wilson first woman appointed to Supreme Court of Canada. 1984 - Jeanne Sauve appointed first woman Gov. ernor General of Canada. 1984 - Ottawa passes Bill C-82, dealing with of action for women, visible minorities, disabled. 1957 - Coalition of women's groups protest Meech Lake constitutional accord. 1988 - Abortion law struck down by Supreme Court. Coordinating Shelters, REMINDER: Milestones for feminism This page is sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The material contained on it may be photocopied and distributed without permission, but with credit to the original source or the Ontario Women's Directorate. NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �PAY EQUITY WHAT DO YOu WANT TO BE WHEN YOu C3ROw uP 7 GIRLS CAN BE ANYTHING THEY wAryT TO BE THESE DAYS BRAIN SURGEON. .COLLEGE PROCESSOR PRESIDENT ..YOu SHOULD DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM I by LYNN BEAK HOW ABOUT PAID EQUALLY? Pay Equity? What is it anyway? We've all heard the term and associated it with an increase in women's wages. But how and why? It seems that so much is still unclear. EQUAL PAY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE Part of the confusion comes from the fact that pay equity is a recent term for an old concept - equal pay for work of equal value - an idea that has been debated and fought for by women throughout the world since the turn of the century. In the USA another term is used - comparable worth - for the same concept. So what does it mean? In its simplest form it is the idea that men and women should be paid the same level of wages for doing the work that they do in the paid labour force, even though men and women traditionally, and even now, have done different kinds of work. It is the idea that waitresses and truck drivers should have the same starting wage and should progress on the same kind of wage scale. Although trade unions and governments (including Canada) had endorsed the concept of equal pay for work of equal value since the early 1950's, little practical change occured in Canada until the mid 1970's. EQUAL PAX FOR EQUAL WORK DISTINGUISHED During this same period of time, women were also fighting for equal pay for equal work, so that when men and women did the same job they would receive the same pay. Until the 1950s it was very common for male and female account clerks (for example) to do the same job in the same company and be paid different wages. Teaching salaries were also significantly different for men and women. By 1951 Ontario and then other provinces had passed laws that required employers to pay men and women doing the same work the same wage. There were a few exceptions, seniority being one of them. Why were laws like this necessary? The reasons are complex, for an excellent discussion, see the early chapters of Just Give Us The Money: A Discussion of Wage Discrimination and Pay Equity, and its thorough bibliography. (Just Give Us the Money - Women's Re-search Centre, Ste. 101, 2245 Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6K 2E4, (604) 734-0485) In summary, some reasons are women's limited participation in trade unions; the belief that men should be'paid a "family wage" high enough to cover the needs of the family unit and that women therefore only needed enough to cover supplementary expenses (pin money); the fact that many women did the same work that was done, unpaid, in the home - cleaning, cooking, services, child care, etc.; and ultimately, the difference in wages was caused because employers could get away with it since not enough people objected strenuously. 9Du'vE 6OTTA BE REALISTIC.. Err" 1-tuLME Noss ...aim Swat -TV not without its flaws. Men's wages have not traditionally been based on a logical, rational assessment of their value to an employer. Men fought for an average industrial wage based on the cost of living and raising a family, not on the intrinsic "worth" of the work being performed. Many people also disagree with comparing the "value" of work... why should a garbage collector be be paid less than an accountant? What notion of value should be used - value to an employer, value to society as a whole? Also, at this time, neither employers or employees have experience "valuing" jobs. It requires an expert, a "job evaluation" consultant to train employers and perhaps also employees and union members to speak this new language. There are fears that there is sex bias built into the theory and language of job evaluation in the same way that sex bias is built into so many facets of our society already and that women will therefore be fighting the same battles after learning the rules of this new industry. Nevertheless, job evaluation within the parameters of the EPFEV concept has been endorsed and is now being implemented in Canada and many other countries. It will be a task for women to monitor this concept and determine if it has led to the achievement we fought for namely, reducing the wage gap between men and women. At present women earn 64c for every dollar that men earn when they both work full time. It has been calculated, in the Ontario Green Paper on Pay Equity, that wage discrimination accounts for approximately 10c to 12c of that wage gap and that in theory pay equity would therefore raise the wages of women overall by that amount. However, since some employers are excluded (private sector employers with less than 10 employees) and since many workplaces will not have male groups against which to compare their female employees (ie hospitals, day care centres), it is unlikely that the wage gap based on wage discrimination will be closed. THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE By the 1970s women's organizations had done the research to show how little women were paid for their full time work compared to men working full time. As the women's movement developed, a key component was fr4E f'. 7 increasing women's economic p increasing our wages. In 1977 the federal gover added an equal pay for work of value provision to the Canadia man Rights Code. Over the year ce, it has been infrequently a major factor has been that complaint-based system which r an individual woman to make a plaint against her employer an low through for a period of y while the complaint is investi and decided. Most successful c ints were made by unions since had the resources to do the re and the onus was not put on an vidual woman to expose hersel the possible harassment, lack motion and a great demand on that an individual complaint w bring. By the 1980's several Ame states had implemented_w4At t called "pay equity" which was same concept implemented in a ent form. An individual compl system assumes that violations the rarity and that most emplo are complying with the law. S know that this is not the case that most employers are not pa women equally, a different app is necessary. Minnesota devised a syste their state employees which as that all womens' jobs needed t looked at for pay discriminat This system was adopted by Man for their provincial employees some other sectors (hospitals, and then by Ontario for all t sectors: all provincial emplo all broader public sector (ho municipalities, school boards, leges and agencies fully funde the government); and private s employers who have more than 1 ployees. Ontario's decision to imp pay equity came following year active lobbying by the Equal Coalition, women's groups and unions. This is the first part of a 2 article on pay equity. The sec page, to be published next iss will focus on the Ontario legi and the impact that it is havi women's wages in the workplace Lynn Beak 416 a 6otmek membet o NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL catect and ha4 Jong been active in t women'is movement. EQUALNORTHERN.WOMAL..page-6 PAY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE: THE CONCEPT, Although women's groups have supported and fought for implementation of equal pay for work of equal value (E.P.F.E.V.) systems, it is PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Long Distance Delivery: regional model believe it ensures higher quality care and fewer baby deaths. The unfortunate effect of the regional model is that it tends to centralize services in large urban hospitals. The result is that more women have to travel away from their home community to give birth, and that, as we learned from the women affected, is often a stressful experience. It means that women lose access to the more intimate, familycentred care offered in smaller hos- continued from pg 4 Such things as diabetes, a history of premature delivery, or the fact that she is carrying twins can put mother and baby at risk. In these cases, both would benefit from careful monitoring in a hospital where specialists can act quickly if problems arise. More than likely a woman in this situation would travel to the large hospital well before her due date. Whether or not she made the trip by ambulance would depend on her condition. Sometimes women choose to have out-of-town birth. They may prefer to have access to pain medication, like an epidural, which may not be available in small hospitals. Others feel more confident knowing they will give birth in a large hospital. This was the case for one woman from Red Lake. She had her second baby in Winnipeg because her first child needed an emergency transfer shortly after birth. "The doctors here are good, but they just don't have the equipment like they do in the city. My doctor and I agreed I would go to Winnipeg. If we ran into problems, the intensive care unit would be there. I was a lot more relaxed knowing an pitals. Groups such as the Advisory Committee on Reproductive Care appointed by the Ontario Ministry of Health, caution in their 1988 report "Reproductive Care: Towards the 1990s", that routinely sending women to large regional hospitals is creating an unrealistic load for specialists. The committee suggests that if appropriate supports are put in place -- such as opportunities for doctors and nurses to strengthen their birthing skills-- quality care can be provided in smaller hospitals. Not all community hospitals have withdrawn birthing services. In Red Lake for example, the doctors have a strong commitment to birth with as little intervention as possible. Women are able to labour and deliver in the local hospital. They are transferred only if there are medical reasons that would make it safer for them to be cared for in a larger hospital. They are usually sent to Winnipeg or Thunder Bay. 11 A A, In the booklet we discuss some of the common medical reasons for a transfer. We hope this will give women the information they need to be better prepared and to know what questions to ask if they face this situation. Before some obstetrical procedures can be done, there must be an operating room and adequate staff available for surgery if it is needed. This is true, for instance, if a woman chooses to have a VBAC -- vaginal birth after Cesearean -- where the possibility of a Cesearean is considered higher. It's also true if a woman has high blood pressure which cannot be controlled, leading to a condition called pre-eclampsia. Her labour may be induced. In both situations, safe obstetrical practice requires that a Cesearean section is planned for, just in case. If a small hospital cannot provide this surgical back-up, a woman would have to be sent to another hospital. A woman from Sioux Lookout told us, "Never in our wildest dreams did we think that after doing so well I would run into problems 24 hours into labour. It was arranged for me to be transferred to Thunder Bay. I remember feeling panic at first, but I quickly relaxed. I was to fly on Bandage Five (the Ministry of Health air ambulance). This was reassuring because I am familiar with how well equipped it is." the care of older children may affect where the birth takes place and how long she may stay in hospital. And an out-of-town birth can be expensive. There are costs for travel, accommodation, and long-distance telephone calls. "The doctor said make sure you take your Visa. Then we were on our own," recalled another Red Lake woman who was transferred for the premature birth of her first son. "My husband stayed at a hotel across from the hospital and he had to get meals. We had to pay for our own air fare home. If you don't want to sit in a car for five hours with a newborn, flying is the fastest way to get back. We figure it cost us between $600 and $800." 14, 61 iJ IJ ),./ Mw N w 1.4 N w MJ 4-0 tut 6,./ 16/ NJ 1.-1 4 LJ W 4J 11.1 161 4 L.1 iou M. that." Can an out-of-town birth be a positive experience? Many women say they are glad they chose to travel away, especially if they or their baby needed specialized care. But most admit it was by planning ahead that they were able to make their birth a positive event. For instance, it's not always necessary to go to the closest hosgive birth. Going "home" to pital the community where family and friends can offer support before and after the baby arrives may be a better choice. A Sioux Lookout woman planned a VBAC with her second baby this way. She went to Hamilton, where she had family. "I wanted to try a vaginal birth and they wouldn't give me a trial of labour here. I contacted a friend in Thunder Bay who is a midwife and she gave me the names of a couple of midwives in Hamilton. I went down when I was four or five months pregnant and found a midwife I really liked... It was worth it to me to go that far to have a vaginal birth. I didn't think VBACs were being done in Thunder Bay and didn't know any-. one I could stay with. The birth was just wonderful. Cameron was born and we went home three hours later." In planning an out-of-town birth, it's important for women to consider their needs. If others will be involved- a partner or relative and older children - what do they need? The plans a woman can make for 111 \I :VW' I) ) 3- ( In Northern Ontario, if medical care is not available locally, the cost of travel to obtain that care is partially covered by the Northern Health Travel Grant. The prosram is administered by the Min- stry o7ealt IrdarriTtOrtirfteglim."""' natal care and out-of-town birth. However, there are restrictions. The person claiming the grant must be a minimum of 250 kilometres away from the needed services. The grant doesn't cover a companion's travel costs, unless the patient is under 18 years of age. And the grant only applies if a patient sees a certified specialist. Some women have found they did not receive the grant if they went for prenatal visits with a general practitioner rather than an obstetrician. Through all the conversations we've had with regional women, we know that having an out-of-town birth places extra demands on a woman at a time when she needs things to be less stressful. It's more difficult to find a doctor and investigate choices for the birth when it will take place far from home. It's harder to find out about hospital policy for labour and delivery. Even planning where to stay before the delivery is an added worry. We've tried to address these concerns in the booklet with practical advice. We hope this will help to reduce the isolation women in out-lying areas feel as they plan for their birth. Women have told us how important it is to ask questions and be firm about what you want. They feel it can make a difference of a woman tells those caring for her that she's from outcontinued on pg 13 NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Women's Movement and Struggles in the Philippines .The 6ottowing antic& is taken 6tom an adottess given by Netia Sancho to the zecond Women's Intetnationa, Saidakity Aailc in the Phitippines NeZia Sancho (WISAP) had in 1987. Lo National Secketaty Genekat, o6 GABRIELA. Whenever historians discuss the status of women in the Philippines prior to the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, they usually paint a more egalitarian picture. Pre-colonial Filipino women, it is said, occupied a high social position. They enjoyed a large measure of freedom which was unknown to women of other Oriental countries. As they were free, they were able to participate in social, economic and political activities to the advantage of both individual and society. They commanded the respect of men; they were protected by the native laws and they possessed civil and political rights. Except in the Islamic societies in southern Philippines, marriage was monogamous, and women retained their names after marriage. Divorce was by mutual consent. Women could inherit and dispose of property in their own right. In some instances, the position of chieftain could be passed on to the eldest daughter. Also,. many of the religious leaders of that day were women. Colonization by Spain and the subsequent imposition of Catholic Spanish culture, which was very patriarchal and oppressive to women changed all this. If indeed, women's oppression was not the norm in pre-colonial Philippines, it became a socially held ideal during the 300 years of Spanish rule. Under the Spanish Civil Code, the rights of married women became severely restricted. Divorce was not allowed; women had no right of disposal over property brought into their marriages, could not engage in any outside economic activity without the formal consent of their husbands, and could hold no public office except that of teacher. The almost wholehearted acceptance of the religion and culture of the Spanish moulded the values and attitudes of Filipino women, making it possible for them to internalize these values. Catholicism inculcated in them the notion of male superiority and endowed it with the strength of religious dogma. Relationships between males and females were regulated by an elaborate set of conventions, which effectively made the female the passive object of male. Women were segregated into the domestic sphere; although women of the peasantry still laboured by the side of males in the field, the dominant ethos was one in which they were economically non-active and socially non-initiating. It is not surprising therefore, to find that an organized women's movement in the Philippines first stirred to life only towards the end of the 19th century. Conceived in the womb of the anti-colonial struggle against Spain and the U.S., one of the first women's groups to emerge was composed of enlightened women of the intelligentia and other women of the upper classes. One of its leading members, Trinidad Tecson, was later to join the revolutionary war as a woman general. WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN ANTI COLONIAL STRUGGLES PAVED THE WAY FOR THE ARTICULATION OF WOMEN'S PROBLEMS AND ISSUES Many other women participated in the anti-colonial revolutionary war in various capacities -- some as guerillas directly engaging the enemy in battle, and others as members of auxilary groups. Still others, like Melchora Aquino or Tandang Sora, quietly gave aid and succor to wounded revolutionaries, even at great risk to their lives. Today, we remember these courageous women and salute them for their invaluable contributions to the anti-colonial struggle. Women's participation in these struggles also paved the way for the articulation of some women's problems and issues, such as their right to formal education. Later, but with the advent of the Fil-American War and the subsequent colonization of the Philippines by the U.S., free public education was extended to Filipino boys and girls as part of the general effort to quell the insurgency then being waged by Filipino revolutionary forces. While education succeeded in bringing women out of their homes, it did not lead women to question either their subordinate position within society and the family or the deeper roots of their and the people's oppression. This method of captivating the minds of Filipinos through colonial education had its corresponding impact on the emergent women's groups at the turn of the century. On the one hand, it lead to the creation in 1902 of the Liga Femenina de la Paz, which supported the U.S. forces "pacification drive" against Filipino insurgents. In reality, however, the "pacification drive" was a massive suppression campaign that led to the death and displacement of millions of Filipinos. The rise of such a woman's group signalled the beginning of a relatively long era of cooptation for the women's movement in the country. ADVANCE THE MILITANT WOMENS MOVEMENT Ii IN THE PHILIPPINES. HI 1 1 1 KJNESIS Subsequent women's organizations advocated the right of women's suffrage. This latter development saw the formation of a women's movement whose main concern was to advance the women's right to vote and to achieve legal equality so that they could fully participate in the electoral processes as defined within the framework of U.S. sponsored elite democracy. KJNESIS The women's groups that followed, which engaged in socio-civic won and which were mainly led by elite w( en, tended to follow this general pa tern of working within the existing social framework, with little or no effort to critically examine what HI at the root of women's oppression or of social ills. No genuine women's movement can be said to have existed during this period. What existed were aggrupations of women whose efforts were not specifically directed towan the advancement of women's particular issues or problems. Except for the ii volvement of some women guerillas an political activists in the Huk movement of the 50s, there were also no other systematic attempts to at least harness the participation of women on a massive scale for any significant social cause. IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING LOW CCFPENSATION FOR THEIR LABOR, WOMEN HAD TO CONTEND WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION Meanwhile, women's oppression continued. As peasants, workers and poorly paid professionals, they frequently suffered even much more than the men of their own class. In addition to receiving low compensation for their labor, they had to contend with sexual harassment and discrimination. Since the vast majority of the unemployed and underemployed were woe en, this led to their economic and political marginalization and their treatment as second-class citizens. This situation in turn became fertile ground for the flourishing of dehumanizing and anti-women practices the commodification and sexual objectification of women in prostitution, pornography, mail-order brides and the trafficking of Filipinas. Within the family, women largely con. .tinned to be denied choices other than to perform the socially ascribed but limiting roles of wife, mother, or dutiful daughter. In many re spects, elite Filipino women achieved, through education, the legal or social appearance of freedom. But in essence, they remained subservient beings, especially within the family and continued to suffer from the prevailing system of patriarchy. It was in the late '60s and early '70s that a different kind of women's group emerged. The women's group, founded by political activist patriot and poet, Ma. Lorena Barros, was aptly named the Makabayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA) or the New Women's Patriotic Movement. PDF compression, page 8web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN OCR, �The new groups's acronym, MAKIBAKA, which meant "struggle" was also an appropriate choice. For along with other national democratic or-. ganizations, this new group bannered the struggles of peasants, workers, the middle class intelligentsia and nationalist businessmen for a society free from the shackles of foreign domination, feudal oppression and state terrorism. MAKIBAKA sought to mobilize Filipino women in their millions to join the organized people's struggle for national sovereignty and genuine democracy. But more than this, MAKIBAKA also started to address the issue of women's distinct oppression and recog-, nized that the Filipino people's liberation can never be accomplished without the liberation of women. The Aquino government then proGABRIELA REGISTERS A NAME IN THE MINDS posed the ceasefire policy with all OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH ITS CONSISTENTLY armed groups engaged in insurgency. ACTIVE AND MILITANT PARTICIPATION IN It went NATIONAL STRUGGLES FOR JUSTICE AND into peace talks and negotiations. The people's organizations, inFOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS ISSUES cluding GABRIELA and other women's groups, GABRIELA has since grown, fromrejoiced then at what they thought an assembly that attracted mainly to be a sincere desire of the to solve the social causes middle class women, into a government national of the insurgency. The women's groups coalition of about 100 women's organshowed their support for the peace izations, which span across the difprocess by forming a Women's Peace ferent regions and represent a crossCommittee. GABRIELA also joined othsection of sectors and classes of er women in drawing up the "Women's Philippine society. Agenda for a Full and Lasting Peace" Ever since its birthingand in presented 1984, this to the government GABRIELA has registered a name in and the NDF peace panels. the minds of the general public throIn presenting this agenda the ugh its consistently active women's and mil-groups declared: "We believe itant participation in national that struthe roots of insurgency - the unggles for justice and for women's equal distribution of our resources rights issues. Immediately after its and foreign control of the country founding GABRIELA joined the foreare the very same conditions that blofront of the struggle of theckFilipino the economic and political progress people to topple the Marcos of dictatorFilipino women. Putting forward the ship. women's agenda, therefore. helps not Together with the revitalization only in attacking the roots of insurin late 1986 of the underground womgency, but also in seeking the broaden's group MAKIBAKA, the emergence of est participation and support of womGABRIELA represents the highest point en for just and basic social reforms to date in the development of a Philthat could lead then to a full and ippine women's movement. We lasting now have peace." a women's movement that, in the words of a sister in struggle, Maita Gomez "seeks to change a whole society, THE WCMEN'S AGENDA CALLS FOR A with a vision of the future where THAT GUARANTEES WOMEN feudalisn, imperialism, fascismSOCIETY and EQUAL RIGHTS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE inequality for women will have been THE FAMILY, AND ENSURES FREEDOM overcome". FROM ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT The imposition of martial rule in 1972 nipped in the bud MAKIBAKA's attempt to develop a revolutionary women's movement. MAKIBAKA's cause, however, stayed alive with the continued participation of thousands of women who undertook revolutionary work in various capacities. In both countryside and urban areas, women engaged in organizing and propaganda work in the underground and in the legal sphere. Not a few took the option to fight alongside their male comrades as guerillas of the New People's Army. Throughout the dark days of martial rule, women gave their share in suffering and struggle. Among the women who became victims of repressive martial rule was MAKIBAKA founder Ma. Lorena Barros, who was killed in 1976 while leading The Women's Agenda calls for a self-reliant economy that undertakes a squad of uerillas in the mountains comprehensive land reform and a natIn 1978, a number of courageous women, some of them involved in the ionalist industrialization program, In-WOMAIrrfITCRrICAULTR'711111P1 , .4.especially bP4O411EPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM suffrage movement in the 1930s, grouas these pertain to adMIRRORS i4ER FugmT3o LIVE ped themselves together in their coldressing the issue of women's lack -TOTAt AN g FlittY lective disgust over the rampant fraof control of resources or access uds committed during the first parlito land and jobs which have led to amentary elections. The result is the their further marginalization and Concerned Women of the Philippines. sense of powerlessness. The agenda also called for the exercise of full But it was the Aquino assassin-P sovereignty and freedom from foreign ation in 1983 and the heightened polintervention and control and the conitical and economic crisis that folvening of a genuinely representative lowed which spurred a massive polit.people's government, which should inical awakening among millions of Filclude women's representation at all ipino men and women. Hitherto uninlevels. The women's agenda, too, volved members of the middle class calls for a society that guarantees joined those from grassroots organiwomen equal rights within and outzations who had long been taking to side the family, and ensures freedom the streets to demand basic changes. from all forms of violence, sexual Among the first to protest the Aquino abuse and harassment. It demands the Struggling to attain this visassassination were various women's women's basic right to have control ion has all the more become urgent groups, which held an all-women's over their own bodies, especially for the progressive women's movement march in October that mobilized in decisions related to the number today. 12000 women from all walks of life.Like everyone else who activeof children and use of contraception. supported the struggles against This historical all-women's ly march deUnder the new government,women's dictatorship, the Filipino woman was manded justice for Aquino and all vicgroups first sought to include these hopeful that the new government tims of military repression very and calldemands in the constitution that was installed ed for an end to the Marcos dictator- to power in February 1986 being drafted in 1986. But the prewould be able to effect the needed ship. dominantly elitist and male dominathat would alleviate the opA few months later, in changes March ted constitutional commission sucpressed 1984, politically active women from conditions of Filipino women ceeded in diluting or deliminating and men. the ranks of workers, peasants, urban these demands, retaining only a vaThe new government did lift the poor, professionals, and the business gue passage that refers to "recogon the press and on puband religious sectors gave arestrictions new dimnition of women's equality before assemblies, and freed the most ension to the celebration oflic Internathe law". prominent political prisoners from tional Women's Day by convening the detention. It dissolved the rubber General Assembly Binding Women for stamp parliament, formed a commission Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leaderto draft a new constitution, repealed ship, and Action or GABRIELA. Again, a number of decrees that were represthe choice of GABRIELA as an acronym sive to workers, and formally recogis a fitting tribute to the memory of nized the just causes of the armed a courageous woman, Gabriela Silang, struggle being waged by the New Peowho led one of the major uprisings ple's Army of the National Democratic against Spanish colonial rule in the Front. 18th century. cortinued on pg 10 ;4 1 9 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page �continued from pg 9 The same demands were presented during the peace negotiations. But the peace talks broke down. Despite the existence of a ceasefire agreement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines began to press the civilian government for a more thoroughgoing counterinsurgency program. During the ceasefire period, peasant marchers seeking land reform were shot, killing 19 rallyists. The AFP was allowed to continue with its military buildup. Military campaigns in the guise of keeping day to day peace and order, continued to be launched in the countryside. While it is true that prominent political prisoners were freed, hundreds still languished in jail. Among them is Miriam Dugay, a church social worker and community organizaer, who was arrested without warrant in mid 1986. She has been ordered freed by a civilian court, but the military authorities continue to hold her in defiance of the court order. Neither Mrs. Aquino nor any other high government official has intervened in her behalf, despite several appeals for her release.. MILITARIZATION IS VERY MUCH A WOMEN'S ISSUE With these recent developments, it has become more and more evident to people's .organizations and women's groups that the Aquino government lacks the political will to institute basic social reforms being demanded by the dAprived sectors'of the society. It was also becoming clear to the organized basic sectors that as the Aquino government moves to strengthen parliamentary processes in the country by having a new constitution ratified and calling for new legislative and local elections, it has veered more and more towards defining itself as a government for the elite with a plethora of unfulfilled promises for the Filipino people. OUR VISION OF A TRULY JUST, FREE AND EGALITARIAN SOCIETY WILL BE DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN SOLELY WITHIN THE FORMAL PARLIAMENTARY FRAMEWORK While women's groups have formed the Kababaihan para sa Inang Bayan or KAIBA, a women's political party, to enter electoral politics and maximize whatever advantages this has to offer, a pragmatic assessment of the situation reveals that the fulfillment of our vision of a truly just, free and egalitarian society will be difficult to attain solely within the formal parliamentary framework. For the progressive women's movement, this means reconvening the parliament of the streets, building up our own organized strength, particularly among grassroots women, securing step-by-step our demands as put forth in the Women's Agenda. Thus, it has to address vigorously, the need for equal rights in the political, economic, cultural and family spheres, and the demand of women workers, peasants and urban poor women for land, jobs, homes to live in and health to enjoy. The women's movement in the Philippines today see the resolution of these problems and demands as the cornerstone to create substantially women's development and empowerment. Despite the patina of liberalism and popularity possessed by Mrs. Aquino's form of rule, her government has been gradually showing itself open, ready and unhesitating to utilize as much brutal force as the past regime had done, to enforce its will on the people. On February 8, 1987, Mrs. Aquino has instructed "soldiers" to push through with its military offensives against the insurgents. Two days after, despite her admonition to the Armed Forces to conduct military operations with "respect for the human rights of civilians" the massacre of 17 civilians took place. Today, the progressive women's movement's capability to respond to the continued oppressive conditions of the women has to be developed. The women's keenness and sensitivit3 to their problems will inevitably lead women to expose and condemn ha/ assment, and other forms of militar3 abuse such as bombings, strafings, hamletting, forced evacuations, summary executions and arbitrary arrest Militarization is very much a women' issue, especially in the countryside because women feel its exacerbating effects to women's poor health and state of malnutrition, lack of contr and decision over her life, low and marginalized position both within th family and the larger society. THE PHILIPPINES WCMEN'S STRUGGLE IS TO CHALLENGE AS WELL AS CHANGE PREVAILING VALUE SYSTEMS THAT CONTINUE TO RELEGATE WOMEN AS PASSIVE, SUBORDINATE OR AS SEX OBJECTS AND COMMIDITION I have presented, in a nutshel] the historical development of our we en's movement and the full dimensioi of women's struggles in the Philipp: nes. It is a complex struggle again: foreign domination, feudal exploitation, fascist repression, and the ul equal, patriarchal social structure! that are oppressive to women. It is a struggle to expose the betrayal o our people by a seemingly liberal g( ernment that is in essence repressi, and unresponsive to the plight of d disadvantaged and marginalized sect including women. It is a struggle rise above these fetters and develo the necessary strength to achieve o goals. And it is a struggle to chal enge as well as to change prevailin value systems that continue to rele gate women as passive, subordinate or as sex objects and commodition. Books Feminist theory fiction health poetry spirituality peace international periodicals NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St, 344-7979 page 10 PDF compression, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN OCR, �The Red Maiden's Tale by JOSIE WALLENIUS Did that Harmonic Convergance really happen? What are we drifting towards? How much do our visions empower us, how much do they blind us to reality? I am frightened! There are things happening in the cosmos, I have no doubt of that, but at this critical moment of consciousness, I refuse to take my feet off the ground, and I crave an honest debate. I crave a debate between women who see the Patriarchy as the main root of oppression, and women like myself who see capitalism as the root. We are called "rads" and "reds" by some, including the Trading Godfathers who must be very happy about this division. Do the "rads" know that Ronald Reagan sent his daughter Maureen Reagan to the Nairobi conference at the end of the U.N. decade of women with instructions to keep the debate ON women, and OFF Peace and justice. The men who control that old fool know what they are doing. The debate between "rads" and "reds" surfaces and sinks, surfaces and sinks, but never sinks too far below the surface. We never do enough holding of hands to sink to the bottom together, tp explore the slime at the bottom, to examine the roots together, to ask of ourselves if we are half wrong about things, or both Victim. "Because I believed that the newspapers were lying." GASPS FROM EVERYBODY. Prosecutor. "You didn't believe the newspaper, I see. What did you believe?" Victim. "I am a huwoman, and I believed that I was watching the beginning of the North American Indian experiment in Africa. In 'Oil area 15 Africafreemerica' it was going to be done under the camouflage of anti terrorism, and in the South of the continent by the silence strategy. Prosecutor. I am not talking about the silence, I am talking about terrorism. You admit, I hope, that terrorism, once the greatest human crime has been eliminated by US. Prosecutor... "I see. I want to ask you if you condone what the leader of 'Oil area no. 15 Africafreeamerica' did in the seventies and eighties of the last century?" "You mean land distribution, education, social services and chucking out U.S. military bases?" Victim. Prosecutor. "I mean terrorist acts." SILENCE. Prosecutor. "I would remind you that you are on trial for treason, and I am asking you if you condone the wanton acts of terrorism, the blowing up of civilian planes and the loss of white Freemerican blood?" Victim. "And I am asking you about South Africa." SILENCE. Prosecutor. "You mean gold, uranium, platinum area no.3 africafreemerica?" 41 4itiv right. I remember a "rad", a good friend, who laughed at me once saying "If you had your socialism, men would still beat their wives". I remember reading Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale", her prophetic vision of the Patriarchy gone berserk. My hair stood on end when I read that. "Red" feminists have prophetic fears too though, and I want to write about them. In a strange kind of way I would almost rather want Atwood's tale to come true than mine, if either does, because if mine does, the Western Women's Movement gave birth to nothing, and I don't want to believe that. Prosecutor. Victim. "But in El Salvador...." Prosecutor. "Objection your honour, it is illegal to call the 'Coffee area no. 4 Freemerica' by its old name. Judge. The scene takes place in a courtroom in the year 2050 in the capital of Canadafreemerica, Ottowa. There is a woman on trial, on a charge of sedition against freedom, a treasonable offence. She is being questioned by a woman prosecuter, in front of a woman judge, in front of an all woman jury. The women have blond hair. She is the last huwoman to stand trial. All of the others have been tried before her, and found guilty of sedition against freedom. Do you admit that?" "Sustained." "Thank you my lady. Now Prosecutor. (turning to victim) are you aware, do you admit, that we, Freemerica, eliminated the crimes of terrorism that sprung from 'Oil area 15'. "To my knowledge, the first move towards the Native American Indian experiment in Africa started with the blaming of the bombing of the Berlin discotheque by a Western European group on Libya, they said it was Libya who.... Victim. Prosecutor. uage." Judge. Victim. Victim. . "yes." "At that time, yo,. remen- GASPS FROM EVERYBODY. ber, we were getting rid of that terrible phenomenum terrorism. Why did you go to that area?" Judge. "Objection." "Sustained." Prosecutor. "I insist on an answer about your attitude to the crime of terrorism, the crime we have now eliminated." "You know, I used to wonder what I would do if all my family was killed, and all my village bombed, and the only people who could stop it were the ones in America watching T.V. I mean to realize that you had to do something really terrible to get on T.V. I used to wonder in fact if there were a lot of potential huwomen watchVictim. ing T.V. Prosecutor. "It is obvious that you condoned terrorism." SILENCE. NODS. THE JUDGE NODS, THE JURY "Objection sustained. Thank you. (turns to vicProsecutor. tim) you said that 'Oil area no. 15 Africafreemerica' was not responsible?" ''rosecutor. Prosecutor. "Objection, illegal lang- Prcsecutor, "I want to take you back to 1989, when you made a second visit to our part of the world Oil area no.15 Africamerica." "yes". Victim. "No, I mean South Africa before the silence." Prosecutor. "Thank you, your silence speaks for you. Now I want you to explain to the jury why you visited 'Coffee Area n. 1 freemerica' in 1986?" Victim. "You mean Nicaragua?" Prosecutor. Judge. "Objection." "Sustained." continued pg 12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 11 �The Red Maiden's Tale THE JURY FILE OUT HOLDING THEIR CRYSTALS, THE VICTIM TAKES OUT HER CRYSTAL AND HER BODHRAN DRUM, AND SHE STARTS TO STRUM AN OLD TUNE. "Very well, we will Prosecutor. move onto the next question, your attire. I see you have rags on?" "I have always refused to wear clothes from the Philippines." Victim. "Thank you my Lady. Prosecutor. (Turns to victim) Why did you go to that area?" Prosecutor. language." Judge. TEARS START TRICKLING DOWN SILENCE. VICTIM'S FACE. Prosecutor. Victim. dreams." "Why?" "Because I believed in "I am asking you if you Prosector. agree that it is better for all of us that we now have free Plantation Areas in Freemerica No. 1,2,3,4,5. Victim. THE JURY FILES BACK, AND BRINGS IN A VERDICT OF GUILTY OF SEDITION AGAINST FREEDOM. "Objection, illegal The National Anthem starts pla ing, the National Anthem is a song that became very popular in 1990. I is called "Towards a Kinder and Gen ler Freemerica" and the victim is led outside by two women jailers towards the fire and towards the stak, There are multitudes of people watt] ing, fair families, gentle kind families, women, men, and children. Th air was pure as they had learnt to sue for it, and they watched as the victim flung her crystal away, clue ched tight her old Bodhran drum, am walked into the flames to claim her husisters, the others who had gone "Objection sustained." "You refuse to wear Prosecutor. clothes from 'Garment Area No. 6 Asiafreemerica?" Victim. "Yes." "You know that that Prosecutor. area is the only source of clothing for our women, that there were no clothes made in Canadafreemerica afDo you deny our women the ter 1995. freedom to be clothed?" "No, I am a huwoman." before .her. SILENCE. "For the record, when Prosecutor. did you join the tribe of ' huwomen'. "When I woke up one morning Victim. and had a salty taste in my mouth, I thought at first my mouth had been bleeding." GASPS OF DISGUST FROM ALL PRESENT EXCEPT THE,'VICTIM. "Women, I have Prosecutor to jury. before me a woman who calls herself a huwoman who questions the fundamental right of Canadafreemerican women to decent food and clothing, a fundamental right and freedom gained after a century of free struggle. She stands accused of sedition against freedom, I ask you to take your crystals out and meditate." an au/Liz-tic &ton Jozie Watteniu4 tettek and a membet o6 the G.G.W.W. union (Gtabat GuevuLtta Women Wo-k I am told despair never completely spends itself in one generation, that a residue of collective despair nests in the subconscious for centuries. I sometimes feel its morbid tendrils in rooms raucous with the laughter of survivors a message written in invisible ink blinking off and on through the mascara. Some feeling that a tender word would shatter the mirror and expose more grief than anyone could bear, a loss of faith and face, a collective remorseless guilt for being less than we are by our own standards. I know this rage that lurks below the good manners and the careful rhetoric of the disappointed. It is a necessary part of our development the fuel of our new politic. Gert Beadle PDF compression, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor page 12 NORTHERN WOMAN OCR, �continued from pg 7 Long Distance Delivery: PATIENTS' RIGHTS GROUP of-town. The staff may not realize the effect the more impersonal atmosphere of a large hospital may have on people from small communities. And a woman may feel she has little support if family and friends aren't able to visit. In the booklet we stress the importance of asking for the care you need. However, we see our booklet as a beginning. There's lots more work to do--work that women can do in their own communities. For example, sharing what you know about out-of-town birth with local women, perhaps during prenatal classes, can help women to be better prepared. There is a need for more widely established support services for birthing women such as hostels for family members and coaches for women in labour. Write to your provincial member of parliament and the Minister of Health, stressing the need for these services. Letters, especially lots of letters, can make a difference. Women need to join the current discussion about health care options in Ontario. The Advisory Committee on Reproductive Care recommends examining the role of midwife in providing birthing services in isolated areas. Working with other members of the Midwifery Task Force - Ontario is one way to strengthen the call for more birthing options* Realistically, out-of-town birth is an issue that will stay with us. We know it shapes the birth experiences of many Northern women, indeed, women right across Canada. We are right to question its necessity. But we must also find positive ways to respond to its demands. We have taken as our motto a wise piece of advice from an Ignace woman. "Hope for the best, but plan for the worst." It's something every woman living in a small town might keep in mind as she plans for the birth of her child. The booklet on out-of-town birth will be distributed free of charge during the summer of 1989 to public health units, nursing stations, hospitals and clinics throughout Northwestern Ontario. Individuals may obtain the booklet for the cost of postage. The Midwifery Task Force-Ontario can be contacted at Postal Station 'T', Box 489, Toronto, Ontario M6B 5C2 Hotty Rape/it the Red Lake coo/Ldin- aton o6 the PtOject on Out-4-Town Bath. She hats wotked on the tokoject with the Thunder Bay coo' dinaton Dianne Lai. Both women have experienced out-o4 town bitth. To receive copies - fill out the coupon below and send along with a money order or alumna for $2.00 per booklet (to cover postage) made payable to 1.11.1.11. TO: nall20aiO5121NOLSIES c/o N.W.O. gammas' Health Information Network as B. Cumberland St. 817. Thunder Bay. Ontario or call (807)345-1410 P7A 4L1 4ew (days). The group has received encouragement from the Patients' Rights Association and hopes to become a formal chapter soon. The Association acts as a patient advocate by assisting patients to get their grievance heard; to advocate easier, simpler and more equitable complaint procedures; and to promote among the public an awareness of their health rights and responsibilities. The Thunder Bay Patients' Rights Group hopes to make information on patient rights widely known. Legal health care rights in Ontario include the right to treatment in an emergency, to refuse treatment, to voluntary informed consent, to an adequate standard of care, to choose one's own doctor, to treatment free from discrimination and to confidentiality. In addition, there are moral rights which are recognized by professional codes of ethics but which are not legally enforceable. The Patients' Rights Association publishes a hand book "Patients' Rights in Ontario" and the Thunder Bay Group hopes to assist people to become aware of complaint procedures. Anyone interested should contact the group. \% :;)/1 1. copy(ies) of LaggpiltaamadjayrnyLV-....,--N Pleas, send me A guide to Travelling Awav From Nome to Give Birth to cover postage. I have enclosed S The founding meeting of the Thunder Bay Patients' Rights Group was held March 31, 1989. Anyone interested should contact Prue Morton, 344-2997 (evenings) or 345-4009 G14- Gr4 ./4 GT4 GT4 fh. GI4 G -4Y4 RESOURCES SEXUAL ASSAULT: NEW INFORMATION 4 publications in a new series are now offered by the Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre. Titles SERIES. NAME 28.23I3PtESSZ Street Apartment Province Postal Code City Area Code i Phone Number tRA,A9M9PotkPe,AW WEN-DO CHALLENGED Wen-Do Women's Self Defence Corporation is fighting a complaint of sexual discrimination before the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The complaint was brought by a male black belt in judo who is a representative of a men's groups called "In Search of Justice". The Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) has agreed to assist Wen-Do in its response to this complaint. LEAF believes that Wen-Do's women-only policies are specifically designed to promote women's equality and therefore do not violate human rights legislation. If Wen-Do wins, they will have successfully protected their right to remain a women-only organization and will have strengthened the interpretation of the Ontario Human Rights Code as a protection of traditionally disadvantaged groups, such as women. If the Human Rights Commission rules against Wen-Do and allows woman-centred education and support groups to be forced to admit men, men may also gain access and rights to run women's shelters and rape crisis centres... where women go when they are most vulnerable and need the support of other women. include: Sexual Assault: Information for Adult Survivors Sexual Assault: Information for Families Sexual Assault: Information for Partners and Friends Child Sexual Assault: Information for Parents These innovative and unique booklets are packed with information specific to each target group. Areas of discussion include: misconceptions about sexual assault and child sexual abuse; common reactions of the survivor and their supporters, and how survivors can get the help they need - including medical, legal, and emotional support concerns. Written in a way that is nonthreatening and easy to understand, each booklet is useful for anyone who has experienced sexual assault or wishes to support someone who has. Professional and non-professional helpers alike will find these booklets a valuable resource to enhance the service they already provide. Individual copies are available at $1.00 each plus postage and handOrder from Victoria Women's ling. Sexual Assault Centre, 1945 Linden Avenue, Victoria, B.C. V8V 4H3 NORTHERN, WOMAN. page 11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEWS Reviewed by ALICE RIIVES-SABOURIN HONOUR THE SUN by Ruby Slipperjack, Pemmican Publications, Winnipeg, 1987 The story begins with innocence, simple living and rich day to day experiences of a young Native girl in 1962. The descriptive and often humourous escapades of snuff chewing, legend telling and ritualistic blueberry picking would ring a warm light of familiarity to anyone from that special time and place of Northern Ontario. As a reader I was touched and impressed with the portrayal of characters special in HONOUR THE SUN, people the author describes are very real and important figures to Native people. The delicate interplay of roles between herself, her sisters, cousins and aunt and especially her mother clearly articulates how and why 'The Owl' has a strong sense of who she is - unafraid, open and very much belonging to the world which she so anMnately enjoys. And then it happens. The confusing disparity between the steadfast relationships between 'The Owl' and her impiediate family and the almost benign hatred she comes to experience towards neighboring men who upon returning from work go on terrorizing night rampages during drunken stupors The killing of 'Rocky' followed by an almost fatal entrapment by a town bully marked the end of innocence for 'The Owl' who now knows the meaning of fear and powerlessness. reviewed by PRUE MORTON CHILDBIRTH: What You Need To Know And Your Doctor Won't Tell You by Rosemarie Tugwood Manitouwadge, Ontario: Great Spirit Writers, 1989 This book begins by telling of the positive birthing experiences Rosemarie Tugwood experienced herself, first in helping her mother to give birth to her fifth child in an air raid shelter in England, then in giving birth to her own first child with the help of a midwife, also in England, and lastly, in giving birth to her other three children with the The summer of '62 continues on despite the harsh exploits of the returned workers. As the chapters progress 'The Owl's' character is revealed as being very much in control over her reactions particularly in painfully antagonizing circumstances where she becomes embarrassed, threatened and challenged. I could feel myself getting angry at the 'jokes' played on her by her brother Wess, In each event 'The Owl's' mother does not attempt to intervene or reprimand her older son for his tricks. Survival and control are taught in ways that perhaps appear to be cruel and harsh. However, to protect and defend 'The Owl' would be unrealistic as in most communities such as this where children are often left to defend themselves, to run behind the skirt of her mother pleading victim would have been viewed as childish and weak. Respect is given to those capable of enduring, a prerequisite for surviving in the North. The silent link between 'The Owl' and her mother is maintained giving the reader a pleasant feeling in realizing the power of ability 'The Owl's' mother had as teacher, leader, provider, particularly as it is done with very little conflict. The children know their place and their responsibilities, they have trust in their mother knowing any task asked of them will be within the bounds of their ability. This confidence and conditioning for control is probably one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted characteristics of Native people. The toughness of 'The Owl' coupled with the respect and kindness shown to her family is what will see her through the diversions in lifestyle in later years come the infilteration of alcohol dependency in her community and within her own family. Ruby Slipperjack continually speaks of the advent of the 'Whiteman' including Christmas trees, skating, and linoleum flooring. Sometimes it hints of excitement and enthusiam of these inventions. What was evident throughout the journal was the economic disparity between the standard of living of that community as compared to modern day consumer oriente society that is very wealthy for som people. In living on a reserve and being familiar with the differences in culture I would venture to state that even with the coming of consumerism in our capitalistic society, Native communities remain separate from that realm of existence. The economic conditions of Native commun ities are not very good and Ruby Sli perjack notes very thoughtfully and without judgement these differences. What is lost in many Native families is the unity and leadership which wa: illustrated in 'The Owl's' life. Time passes with the seasons leaving her separated from her past security onl: to face the undefined future. The quiet deterioration of collectivity is marked by her mother's involvement to excess with alcohol. With silent strength 'The Owl' becom( increasingly detached from her commul ity and the once very loving bond bet ween her and her mother. The determit ation not to follow is not unfamiliar among Native people. The courage tWial continue to move forward is the most powerfully pronounced characteristic in 'The Owl' and perhaps in Ruby Slipperjack herself. Reading this boo reminds me and enlightens me of the strength of individuals who can foresee their vision despite circumstanc( beyond their control. The pain of her alcoholic community is softened by the love she has for her mother and the bitterness is perhaps prevailed by the nature of her surroundings. "Honour the Sun for shining on your face and pray it will acknowledge yoi and bless you each morning." (The Ow: mother to The Owl.) keice RiiveA-Sabou4n -ins a tiraditiona contempoAany Ojibway woman who enjoyz peopte, mcoic and w/uiting. help of a small town doctor who agreed with her determination to have her babies at home. The rest of the book is taken up with descriptions of the many medical practices, often unnecessary and counterproductive, to which doctors subject women and their babies during pregnancy and childbirth. The medical establishment, which isn't even well trained to assist what should be a normal natural process, have managed to transform it into an ordeal where the doctor is the only authority and the women's wishes are often considered unimportant. The book presents very clearly the many faults of the "medical model" but it is outside its scope to document scientific evidence to back PDF compression, OCR, webItoptimization up its arguments. would be well using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor worth reading by any pregnant woman �BOOK REVIEW Reviewed by KIT MINOR Many Tender Ties, Sylvia Van Kirk, Watson and Dwyer Publishing Co., 1986. ' I had very much looked forward to reviewing this book which traces the role of women in the fur trade from 1670 to 1870. While I found the text informative, I was disappointed that the author did not attempt a clear feminist perspective, nor did she include the perspective of Native Van Kirk relies on the journals women. and writings of the men who where involved in the trading. I would suggest that she may have added a great deal to the perspective of women in the book if she had personally interviewed some of the elder Indian, Dene and Metis women residing in the Northern provinces, and the Northwest Territories. My own experience in these areas and personal contacts with elder women, whose grandmothers and great grandmothers had passed on detailed information about their role in the fur trade, leads me to believe that such information would have added a wealth of insight and understanding from the perspective of the women and their involvement in the fur trade. Van Kirk does provide detailed analysis and information as to the activities of the early fur trade, and particularly focuses upon the Indian and Metis woten. She emphasizes their role in aiding in the survival of the traders and trappers. The women possessed a wealth of information in the surviva41 techniques of the land. A relationship .between anindialnikaman_ and a trader brought with it these knowledges and certain securities, for the trader, as it created a social bond between the trader and the kinship network of the Indian woman. This enhanced the traders security in securing furs from the group. Van Kirk states that initially the trader adapted to the customs and practices of the people. However, I don't believe that her analysis really reflects the patriarchal and capitalistic benefits which the trader enjoyed when he assumed these customs and practices and married la facon du pays. ThL role which the Indian women played in the fur trade is really quite incredible, but Van Kirk seems to glide over this. The women were the teachers of the language and customs of the Peoples. They had the skills of tanning, making moccasins, and lacing snowshoes, all arts which were essential to the survival of the trader; but that Van Kirk does not seem to give credit as to how detailed and fine these skills were. The women provided the essentials of nutrition, such as pemmican. And in times of starvation, it was the Indian women whose skills and knowledge of the land secured the food. The Indian women were strong and able to assist the trader during his journey. She was a trapper of small animals, such a as the valuable marmot and thus increased the wealth of the trader. She was also often interpreter and peacemaker. Van Kirk does provide some information about the Chipewyan woman Thanadelthui. This woman became very important as a guide, integrater and peacemaker between the Chipewyan, the Northern Cree and the Nor'Westers. lighter the skin colour, the more EurVan Kirk does emphasize the strength and gives us some clue as to the bri- opean the ways, the more attractive lliance of this woman, but she also the women of the Peoples became to provides an undercurrent that Thandel- these men. Could the Metis women who thur became arrogant and self-serving, grew up within there father's home, which detracts from the wisdom and who were "educated" and "Christianized", skills of Thanadelthur. return to the rich and wise customs of the Indian women who chose to remain Van Kirk states that "There can be no doubt that, on a material within the Indian groups? I guess the questions here are could they return, level, life in a fur-trade post offered an Indian woman an easier would they be wanted, and would they existence" (pg.80). However, this know the ways? Van Kirk cloaks the blatant racism statement is either from her own perand sexism, and seems to say it was spective or that of the traders, okay because they really were nice men whose journals she quotes. Perhaps, it was just different, and perhaps the who really loved their wives, and gained indignities that the Indian women had nothing more from the union than a devIt seems to me that the to suffer, particularly when they were oted family. abandoned for Metis women, who were traders took a wealth of information, later abandoned for the white women, including the customs, and language were far more difficult than tradof the Peoples from these women. In itional Indian life. The Indian short they were educated by these women, women were encouraged to take on a who I have no doubt cared for these Europian life style while at the furmen, for the most part. If the traders felt so devoted to the Metis wives, trade post. They mothered from eight why then, after they had been educated to twelve children, three to four by the women, and with the arrival of times as many as the Indian women white women, did they leave the Metis who remained with their tribes. With women for the European women? Grantthe birth of these children came the ed this was not the case in all the confusion of cultural upbringing, relationships, nor perhaps the majority and often the children, particularly the sons were sent away to be "civbut, it happened significantly; so that many Metis women suffered an inilized" and educated. Now they were The children of the union between credible displacement° neither Indian, nor white, and that Indian women and Euro-men became confusion must have been an incredthe mixed blood, or the Metis. Many ible, lonely burden to bear. Van of these Metis women were educated Kirk again skims over this. Van Kirk in the customs of the mother and the does give evidence of numerous bond"civilized fashion" of their fathers. That is they know the traditional ings which were wholesome and caring, cultural ways of the Peoples, but 4Dut she just doesn't seem to repthey could dress in the fashion resent the other side of the coin. which the traders wanted i.e. European And from my own contacts and experVan Kirk writes "the European dress. fences of living with Native groups, traders sought to outfit their women for most of my adult life, I know in civilized fashion and to inculcate there is another critical part to in them the precepts of Christianity this story, and basically that is and proper womanly behaviour" (p.102). the story of the Indian/Dene and The authors fails to analyze, from Metis women. either a feminist perspective or a In the final two chapters Van Indian/Metis/Dene perspective, the Kirk does begin to attend to the blatant racism and sexism contained racism and sexism put upon the Indian Further she does not analyze, herein. and Metis women. But she also seems the tragic racism when these traders to indicate, particularly in the finabandoned their Indian wives for the al chapter, the benefits to the Metis Metis women. She does however give some of acculturation, that is the benefits clue as to the patriarchal nature of of the Metis taking on all the cultural the relationship between the traders traits of the Europeans, thus losing and the Metis women° And then on the the richness of their Indian heritage. Having read this book, I was exfollowing page (p. 122), she states tremely disappointed in Van Kirk's "with the emergence of the mixed Euro-Canadian attitude towards blood wife, the trend was the formation very the traditional wisdoms, skills and of lasting and devoted marital relatabilities of the women of the Peoples. Again I remind the reader ionships". It just seems that she missed the pothat Van Kirk secured her information int, and the strengths of these women. from the journals and writings of the I would refer the reader to a more men. I really wonder what the women would have said, or the grand-daughters succinct version of some of the traumatic events which took place during the of those women, whom Van Kirk could fur trade. This can be found in Ron I don't mean to have interviewed. The Development_af napBourgeault: imply here that there were not healthy italism and the Subjugation of Native and "devoted marital relationships", amen in Northern Canada in AlterBut I really I am sure some were. Carleton nate Routes Vol. 6: 1983. do wonder what the women of the Peoples Bourgeault, writing from University. Van Kirk seems to have to say here. a pro-feminist perspective, exposes expend a great deal of energy, and the fur traders as capitalistic adpages, extolling the wonderful and He further provides an venturers. caring aspects of these traders towards excellent critique of the struggles She seems the Indian and Metis women. and trauma which confronted the women to forget that the traders trementhe most affected by the fur trade: dously benefitted from these unions, Indian and Metis women. nor does she adequately analyize what these benefits were, nor in what frame of reference these benefits were secKit Mincft o a membet of the The fact seems to be that the ured. NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL catective. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 �Books for Summer Reading by MARGARET PHILLIPS Summer reading tastes frequently turn to fiction and this issue we wish to introduce lesser known Canadian novelists and short story writers whose words deserve to be heard. JANICE KULYK KEEFER is receiving critical acclaim for her first novel, Constellations, which "demonstrates an abundant talent... bold, riveting and beautifully executed". JANET TURNER HOSPITAL's most recent publication, a short story collection, is Dislocations. Winner of the Seal Books First Novel Award (1982) for The Ivory Swing, Hospital is also author of the excellent Tiger in the Tiger Pit, and Borderline, which is one of the most moving and amazing novels I have read. Book titles intrigue me. The Late Great Human Road Show is Paulette Jiles most recent novel. Jiles, who is best known for her poetry, now resides in B.C. but at one time lived in Sioux Lookout. Two novels by Alberta writer SUSAN HALEY have received fine reviews. A Nest of Singing Birds is said to be "a highly polished piece of fiction, the kind of debut that make publishers and critics share a sense of discovery", while in Getting Married in Buffalo Jump "her characters breathe and glow inside their excited talk and eccentricities." DIONNE BRAND has a collection of short stories Sans Souci. Brand, born in the Caribbean and now living in Torconto has published a number of books of poetry and is presently working on an oral history of black working women in Ontario. DONNA E. SMYTH, a Nova Scotia peace and environment activist, has combined her writing talents and activism in the innovative novel Subversive Elements. Smyth has also published Quilt. CYNTHIA FLOOD of Vancouver has been active in the women's movement and left politics since 1970. Her story collection The Animals in Their Elements was published in 1987. Mystery fans will be delighted with the work of EVE ZAREMBA. Her latest book Beyond Hope, follows the highly acclaimed Work for a Million. Manitoba author CAROL SHIELDS (Various Miracles, Happenstance, A Fairly Conventional Woman) has also turned her talents to mystery with the publication of Swann. Winner of the W.H. Smith Books in Canada first novel award is MARION QUEDNAU for The Butterfly Chair... "so imaginative and informed as to be exceedingly rare in a first novel". Interest in women's writing has encouraged the reprinting of earlier works (e.g.) In Due Season by CHRISTINE VAN DER MARK ... "a classic and highly acclaimed 1947 novel about northern Alberta..." with a new intorduction by DOROTHY LIVESAY, while The Stairway by ALICE A. CHOWN, first published in 1921 has been re-issued. There are many exciting Quebec women writers whose work is beginning to be made available in English. JOVETTE MARCHESSAULT's Lesbian Triptych has been translated by YVONNE M. KLEIN. Many Saskatchewan writers are emerging. BONNIE BURNARD's Women of Influence won the Saskatchewan Writers Guild major award for fiction in 1986, and SHARON BUTALA was a 1985 Governor General's Literary Award nominee for Queen of the Headaches. Fantasy devotees will be deligh ed to discover BARBARA SMITH's Renew The Prophecy of Manu and Renewal: Teonis Giveaway Book Two. Another Seal Books First Novel Award winner (1986) is JOANNE WILLIA BENNETT for Downfall People. Other short story collections t look for include: Mohawk Trail by BETH BRANT; If Only We Could Drive Like This Forever, by ELISABETH HARVOR; and Stories by Canadian Women and More Stories by Canadian Women edited by ROSEMARY SULLIVAN. The growth of Canadian women's writing is so wonderful to experience In case you have missed them, we will also mention a few of the works of some of our established writers. JOAN BARFOOT: Abra, Duet for Three. ANNE CAMERON: Daughters of Copper Woman, Dzelarons, Child of Her People, The Journey. MARIAN ENGEL: The Glassy Sea, Bear, The Honeyman Festival. MAVIS GALLANT: (newest work) In Transit. KATHERINE GOVIER: Fables of. Brunswick Avenue, Random Descent. ALICE MUNRO: Progress of Love, Dance of the Happy Shades. JANE RULE: Desert of the Heart, Outlander, Theme for Diverse Instr ments, Memory Board. AUDREY THOMAS: Goodbye Harold, Goodluck, Real Mothers, Intertidal Life. ADELE WISEMAN: Crackpot. MatgaAet Phittio 4.4 a member o4 the NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL cottective and owner o4 the No' thekn Woman'6 Boolvsto,te READERS PLEASE NOTE Rising production costs necessitates a rise in JOURNAL rates. Effective this issue the NORTHERN WOMAN .JOURNAL subscriptions are $6 for 4 issues for individuals, $12 for inThe stitutions, single copy $1.75. JOURNAL survives on subscriptions, please renew yours promptly and encourage others to become a regular reader of the NORTHERN WOMAN. S -M PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Mail Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: INSIDE: Don't forget to renew your SUBSCRIPTION p2 EDITORIAL p3 RED FLAG: Bill 124 p4 LONG DISTANCE DELIVERY P5 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p6 PAY EQUITY p8 THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT & STRUGGLES IN THE PHILIPPINES pll THE RED MAIDEN'S TALE p14 BOOK REVIEWS p16 BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING NAME ADDRESS POSTAL CODE Coven, De6ign by Peggy Hamet $ 6.00 Institutional $12.00 Individual RETURN TO: NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL PO Box 144 Thunder Bay Ontario P7C 4V5 THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL P.O. BOX 144 THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7C 4V5 Return Postage Guaranteed Northern Woman Journal FOUR ISSUES $ 6.00 $12.00 Business or Institution' lo PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 12 No 1 Description An account of the resource Vol. 12, No. 1 (July 1989) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Free trade Children’s Law Act amendment Child custody Natal care access Travelling to give birth Thunder Bay Immigrant Women’s Planning Committee Pay Equity Women’s movement in the Philllipines Transnational solidarity Radical feminism Anti-capitalism Poetry Thunder Bay Patient’s Rights Group Wen-do Feminist book review of Honour the Sun by Ruby Slipperjack Feminist book review of Many Tender Ties by Sylvia Van Kirk Feminist book list Authors/Contributors: Maude Barlow Leni Untinen Holly Rupert Ontario Women’s Directorate Lynn Beak Josie Wallenius Gert Beadle Alice Riives-Sabourin Kit Minor Margaret Phillips Peggy Harper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1989-07 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English